The lobster ravioli is one of the dishes served at Olivos restaurant. Photo: Peter Andrew Bosch

Speak up!

By Fabiola Santiago

International dining in Miami in an interesting endeavor – particularly when you head northwest. Doral, Miami Lakes & Hialeah may lack a bit of glamour, but they’re rich in ethnic variety, quality fare & budget options.

OLIVOS
A Doral newcomer, this Argentine restaurant blends white tablecloths and rich woods with its native country’s signature beef and pasta dishes.
What Worked

• The filet mignon, cooked exactly as we requested and served with a mustard-tarragon sauce and a side dish of asparagus, is a real value at $26.
• Equally luscious, the risotto al malbec with bacon and cremini mushrooms is a meal in itself.
• Flan de dulce de leche is further proof that Miami is flan country in any culture

What Didn’t Work

• Skip the appetizers (our lobster croquettes were forgettable) and go straight for the bounty of the parrilla grill.

Olivos Restaurant, 10455 NW 41st St., Doral; 305-718-9968. Prices: starters $7-$17, pastas $13-$19, entrees $17-$23, parrilla grill $9-$23, desserts $6-$8.
  

THAI CAFE

Family-owned and operated for 24 years, Miami Lakes’ Thai Café pairs low prices with authentic fare and an efficient sushi bar.
What Worked

• Rainy days call for soup, and none better than their tom ka-gai, a chicken soup with coconut milk, fresh ginger and lime juice, a slight kick and the optimal amount of chicken chunks.
• Thai spring rolls, three rolls made with fresh vegetables and pork stuffing.
• Rich Pad Thai noodles – once you’e had them at Thai Café, you’ll feel something is missing elsewhere.

Thai Café, 6845 Main St., Miami Lakes; 305-825-7752. Prices: Appetizers $3.50-$7.50; soups $3.25-$10.95; specialties $13.50-$16.95; desserts $2-$4.

TABERNA DE IGNACIO
Chef-owner Ignacio Mongayu is in the kitchen day and night cooking to order the traditional dishes of his native Spain.
What Worked

• Simple, cold tapas of olives, Manchego cheese, Serrano ham or sliced chorizo
• Complimentary slices of delicious bread smeared with garlic butter spread
• Chorizo al vino, wine-infused sautéed sausage with just the right hot kick
• Piquillos rellenos bacalao, red peppers stuffed with codfish, were savory in their pink sauce
• Sweet torrejas al aroma de anÏs, a sort of liqueur-spiked French toast

Taberna de Ignacio, 1800 W 68th St., No. 123, Hialeah; 305-820-1091. Prices: Tapas $3.50-$12.95, paella $18.95 per person, entrees $9.50-$22.95, desserts $5.95.