Jorge: Many visitors to Miami like to take advantage of several excellent golf courses in the area. Don Shula's Golf Club in Miami Lakes is a popular destination for avid golfers.

Glenn: Many people combine a trip to Don Shula's Golf Club with a trip to Don Shula's Steakhouse. This is a good idea for some, but after spending $60 to $90 for a round of golf ...

Jorge: Not including the cost of the cart and all those balls we lost ...

Glenn: ...do you really want to spend some really big bucks for a steak dinner?

Jorge: We'd like to suggest something the people at Don Shula's probably won't appreciate. Why not eat that lunch or early dinner at nearby Casa Romeu, a great Cuban restaurant in Miami Lakes?

Raúl: Heriberto Romeu, the owner of Casa Romeu, opened the original Casa Romeu restaurant in San José de las Lajas, a town near Havana.

Jorge: Like many Cubans, he had to abandon everything when he escaped to the United States.

Glenn: Romeu started over again in Miami and the Casa Romeu chain now includes three restaurants, the original Miami Lakes location, one in Hialeah, and the newest one in Broward County.

Jorge: You've probably heard of Chino Latino cuisine, a combination of Latin and Asian foods. However, you might not know that there are many Chinese people in Cuba. In fact, Havana has its own Chinatown.

Raúl: The manager of the Miami Lakes location, Pedrito Mark, is a Chinese Cuban guy. And let me tell you that the food at his restaurant is excellent.

Glenn: Our first visit to Casa Romeu was on a very rainy day in South Florida.

Jorge: They weren't playing many rounds of golf that day.

Glenn: We got in out of the rain and sat at a nice table in the back by the window, where we could watch the locals trying to dodge the raindrops.

Raúl: One guy actually pulled his car up onto the sidewalk to pick up some guys under the awning.

Jorge: The owner stopped by our table to see if we had any questions about the menu. The service is excellent here, and our waitress was very friendly.

Glenn: She even congratulated me on my attempts at speaking Spanish!

Glenn: If you're hungry for an appetizer, the tamales are very good. They serve a special tamal with sliced olives, tomatoes, and pickles -- a nice combination. They have a large menu, and it was hard to decide on just one.

Jorge: While we were trying to make up our minds, we started out with a plate of the best mariquitas (plantain chips) we've had in a long time. The garlic sauce gave them just the right amount of zing.

Glenn: The pargo entero frito is a whole, deep fried red snapper served with onions. The fish had a crisp outside and a moist, flaky interior. It had a nice flavor as served with onions and limes, but I decided to kick it up a notch with some of the leftover mariquitas sauce.

Raúl: They serve some very nice steaks, the palomilla is especially delicious. It's a good meat, very soft, I love it.

Jorge: If you're in the mood for a nice chicken chowder, the asopado de pollo makes a filling lunch item. You'll taste a little of the Chino-Latino influence in this dish with its rich, rice-filled broth and sliced celery. Olives and capers also introduce a touch of acid that really brings out the hearty chicken flavor. You get plenty of delicate chicken strips to savor in this dish.

Glenn: Everything comes with your choice of side dishes. You get a very large serving of black beans and white rice.

Jorge: They have several desserts here. On the day we went, they had a mamey flan , one that you don't see very often. It is rich with eggs and the mamey flavor was unique.

Raúl: A café cubano is the best dessert, let me tell you!

ATMOSPHERE: Miami casual. Come as you are.

PRICES: Very reasonable. Entrees starting in the $5.50 range, or splurge on paella for two, the most expensive item on the menu at about $28.

HOURS: Open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

CREDIT CARDS: All major cards.

BAR: Full bar.