Three Guys from Miami:Everybody Sing Ay Mamá Inés

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Jorge: We have to give credit to our good friend Fabiola Santiago at the Miami Herald for discovering Ay Mama Ines before we did.

Glenn: However, since she discovered this great restaurant, which is located within a mile of both Jorge and Raúl's houses, we've become regulars. I think Jorge holds the record -- he's been bringing everyone there!

Raúl: In Cuba, Ay Mamá Inés (Ay Mama Ines) is a very popular children's nursery song. Everyone who grew up in Cuba knows this song.

Glenn: The restaurant, like its namesake, is all about Cuban criolla (Creole) cooking. Comida criolla is the less sophisticated "country-style" cooking that is the heart and soul of true Cuban cuisine. For comparison, think of the typical haute cuisine of an upscale Manhattan restaurant and compare it to the simpler fare of a regional restaurant like a Kansas City barbecue, or a Louisiana Cajun restaurant.

Jorge: OK, OK, they get the idea. Let's talk about the food!

Raúl: I love it!

Glenn: I think it's safe to say that we all love the food at Ay Mamá Inés. To start they have a rather long list of appetizers in the tapas tradition of Spain. The manchego cheese is the ultimate Spanish cheese. Order this with a plate of jamón Serrano, or Spanish style chorizo in sherry and you have the beginnings of a great meal.

Jorge: Ay Mama Ines also has several more typically Cuban appetizers, the croquetas are excellent, crispy rolls with a great ham filling and the tamales are delicious.

Raúl: Get the "entremés mixto" -- the appetizer plate. You get a taste of everything.

Jorge brings another round of out-of-town guests to Ay Mama Ines. Even people from Iowa love the food.

Glenn: If you are really hungry, get the house basket, it's like the "entremés mixto" on steroids. In fact, they call this order "a que no te atreves," or "to those who dare." You get a huge platter of appetizers including several varieties of croquetas, tender masitas of pork and chicken, frituras of cod, mariquitas and fried calamari -- just to name a few.

Jorge: On a recent Sunday afternoon, Glenn, nephew Neil and I had another great lunch at Ay Mama Ines. I had the Latin version of chicken Cordon Bleu, here called the Bistec Uruguayo a la Habanero "descarga de son" or Uruguayan breaded chicken steak. You get a tender chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella cheese, and ham and then lightly breaded and fried.

Zarzuela de mariscos en salsa Mamá Inés.

Glenn: I had a real treat, the palomilla steak Mamá Inés, a palomilla steak wrapped around ham and capers and sautéed in olive oil. It comes with fufú, here served with plenty of crispy pork chunks. They use a slightly ripened plantain in their fufú here, so it was just the way I like it -- a little on the sweet side. The sweetness of the plantain is such a great contrast to the salty bite of the pork pieces.

Churrasco served with yuca and chimichurri sauce.

Jorge: Our nephew Neil had the Tasajo en Penca, a great rendition of tasajo.

Raúl: Tasajo is one of my favorites.

Glenn: Most restaurants serve tasajo in a tomato-based Creole sauce. Here the tasajo is lightly sautéed with spices and served on a plantain leaf. The result is a crispy, yet tender meat that is rich in beef flavor.

Jorge: Other dishes we've enjoyed here include the zarzuela de mariscos, a wonderful seafood dish with lobster, shrimp, squid, mussels, scallops, and fish. The masitas de pollo are tender chicken chunks in your choice of presentations: fried, garlic sauce, or Creole sauce.

Filete mignon de pollo.

Raúl: I love the chicken with guava sauce. It takes 25 minutes to make but it is worth the wait.

Glenn: If you are really hungry or just want the ultimate Cuban dining experience, you might want to consider the El Guateque Mamá Inés. You get the complete meal: salad, soup, a selection of grilled meats, moros, frijoles negros, maduros, fufú, and tostones. It's all you can eat!

Jorge: And dessert too. You get your choice of flan , natilla, arroz con leche, and a cuban café.

Raúl: They make good Cuban breakfasts. Simple dishes that Cubans love. I really like their tortilla criolla with tomatoes, onions, green pepper, and chorizo. They serve it with toasted Cuban bread and café con leche, and yes, you are supposed to dunk the bread in the coffee.

Glenn: If you are in the restaurant when the Three Guys are there, be prepared for a little entertainment. Jorge always insists that everyone at the table sing the Ay Mamá Inés song before dinner.

Jorge: They have all of the words printed on the menu, so feel free to sing along.