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Cuba Comes to L.A.: A Restaurant Review
Versailles
Original posting: March 2003 Issue

by JEANNIE HO, staff writer

The restaurant, painted in a garish blue with enormous yellow letters, could attract the attention of anyone passing by. The exterior is in sharp contrast with the interior, however. The dim lights and the brick walls, which are littered with photographs of famous Cubans and paintings ofrural Cuba, gives the restaurant a down-to-earth, natural, comfortablelook rather than a stuffy romantic one. Despite the dark and mellow appeal, the earthy tones are juxtaposed with inviting red and green tablecloths. In the background, the upbeat Cuban music adds flavor to the bistro.

My friend and I took one step inside Versailles, and a smiling Cuban waiter with a sexy Spanish accent immediately greeted and seated us. Minutes after taking our order, the waiters instantaneously served us our beverages. Less than 15 minutes later, the waiter brings out our main entrees and our appetizer. Talk about fast and accurate service!

Every item we ordered was recommended by the manager and considered the signature dishes. My friend and I began our meal by sipping some delicious Batidos, or in plain English, milk shakes. The shakes were made from the most exotic fruits grown in Cuba. The tangy guanabana shake was so fresh, bits of pulp could even be tasted in it. The flavor, surprisingly, was more fragrantly flowery than fruity, but it always left a yogurt after-taste. The sugary memey shake, on the other hand, had a more powdery taste that was masked by a sweet and semi-milky flavor. The crispy complementary bread, was generously coated in globs of garlic butter. Garlic is also the key ingredient in their other signature sauce features on their best-selling chicken and pork dishes. This zesty and unique garlic mojo sauce was an excelletn complement to the mild beverages. For those of you who hate the taste of garlic, like myself, rest assured there are very faint traces of the garlic flavor in the mojo sauce. The sauce actually has a lemon feel.

Our appetizer, Yuca Frita, or fried yucca, served with the garlic sauce, was a little bland, but had a hint of potato. Each layer of the fried yucca tastes almost like a very dry French fry. An acquired, but uniquely Cuban taste, to be sure.

The main entrees were served with a couple pieces of fried, yet soft and sweet Plantains (fried bananas), rice and black beans. The first entrée was the Lechon Asado, Cuban style roasted pork. The tender, shredded pork was basically drenched in their garlic sauce, which saturated the soft meat with a very sharp lemony flavor. The second entrée, Famoso Pollo Versailles, the famous garlic chicken, was also marinated in the garlic sauce. The enormous piece of chicken, was roasted to perfection in its own natural juices; the meat practically fell off the bone! The rice, offered in heaping portions to eat with the meat, had a very indescribable yet distinct taste that worked well with the garlic sauce.

The desert, Flan Cubano, was nothing like the flan sold at the supermarket. If you are in the mood for jello-like flan covered in a caramel sauce, Versailles is not the place to be. Instead the savory Cuban flan had the soft, gooey consistency of pudding with a touch of alcoholic flavor.
For a quick, affordable, and deliciously filling meal, Versailles is definitely a prime choice. In addition to the good prices and ethnic ambiance in the restaurant, there is parking readily available (as you all know, parking is a rarity in Los Angeles).

Details:
Locations (3 near Los Angeles):

1415 S. La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 289-0392

10319 Venice Blvd.
Culver City CA 90034
(310) 558-3168

Universal City Walk, Upper Level
Price for a meal (appetizer, entrée, and drink): Under $15.00