Does franchised Cuban food work?
Written: Jan 17 '06
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Pros: Good food, low prices, convenient locations - well for me anyway
Cons: None that should keep you away
The Bottom Line: -
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| carnut2k4's Full Review: Don Ramon Restaurant |
Don Ramon’s
It struck me peculiar that there was a successful Cuban franchise in town. Not sure why – maybe my perceptions of ethnic comfort foods are focused too narrowly on hole-in-the-wall type places. Nevertheless, I’ve been a fan of Don Ramon’s for more than five years now.
I think the key to their success is that they haven’t gotten too big for their britches. Don Ramon’s began as a single restaurant geared strongly towards the family crowd and has kept growth slow. Of their half dozen restaurants, I’ve dined at three and the friendly atmosphere runs deep though all of them.
Brick -n- Mortar -n- stuff
The restaurants all make heavy use of southern yellow pine. The floors and tables, and in at least one of the locations - the dance floor, are all a warm yellow pine. An odd decorator touch at a couple of their locations is the presence of coins sporadically placed on the table tops – but safely below a half inch of polyurethane. The knives they set the tables with are not quite up to the task of liberating those coins. I’ve tried. Everybody tries. The restaurants are completely lacking Cuban mementos of any type. They are simple, clean, family restaurants that are certainly courting Americans more than Cuban Americans.
On the Menu
The menu is a classic Cuban menu. The easiest way to order is to pick your protein first. Chicken, beef, pork or fish. Then you’ll need to decide how you want it cooked: stewed, pan-fried, deep-fried, etc. The rest will fall into place. Yellow or white rice, and black, white or red beans. That’s all there is to it. Of course plantains will accompany your meal as well. A few of my personal favorites are:
Bistec de Pollo - Simply a boneless chicken breast, butterflied, marinated and served topped with sautéed onions. At $9.95 this is a great deal. Simple and delicious every time.
Arroz con Pollo - The classic chicken and rice dish. Succulent, juicy half chicken. $11.95
Bistec Don Ramon - A 10-12 oz steak pounded, marinated in mojo and grilled. Served with grilled onions and lime wedges, this one’s a real crowd pleaser. $11.95
Vaca Frita - One of my all time favorites. Prepared similar to the Don Ramon steak but this is an ultra thin blade meat steak. $9.95
Lechon Asado – A mojo marinated, slow roasted pork which is then pulled apart and grilled with onions, far and away my favorite dish here. $9.95
Filete de Cerdo - A large pork tenderloin filet marinated in mojo, pounded thin and pan-fried to perfection. $12.95
On the side....
There are plenty of starters and sides to satisfy most folks. The have Masas Fritas de Puerco as an appetizer (pork chunks marinated in garlic and then deep fried – proof that there is a God….and he likes us!). Of course my old friend, Papa Rellena is available (stuffed potato, literal translation – it’s seasoned & cooked ground beef at the core of a baseball sized helping of mashed potatoes – all of which is then breaded and deep-fried, again - proof of a deity).
For those who aren’t the rice ‘n beans type they’re happy to accommodate with french fries. When you order a ‘meal’ it comes with a salad (iceberg lettuce, tomato and onion) or soup. Alright, this is gonna sound strange – they have some of the best chicken soup you’ll ever try. I don’t know what made me try it one fateful day but I’m glad I did. Great chicken soup in a Cuban restaurant – who knew?
For dessert it’s always café con leche and flan for me. I’ve had one or two negative experiences with the flan here (wasn’t cooked long enough - or too long) but the coffee is consistently wonderful.
A couple of their locations have full liquor bars and they all serve beer and wine, although I’ve never had a drink at Don Ramon’s. In fact I’ve never seen anyone sitting at the bar there. Bathrooms are ‘clean enough’ but there is room for improvement in that department. All restaurants offer take out and if you call ahead it will be waiting for you, piping hot and very well packaged. As far as I know, none of the restaurants offer delivery. Whether dining in or ordering take out your meal will be ready very quickly. I’ve never sat for more than fifteen minutes between ordering and being served. That’s a huge plus for me – I hate waiting for food.
The things that I’d like to see changed
As with any restaurant there are a few drawbacks. For instance they serve Coke products (yay) but they serve it in cans (boo). They’re happy to bring you a glass full of ice, and then they’re happy to charge you for a second can should you need a refill. Another issue I have is with their early bird menu (yes, I live in south Florida). After a couple of years of patronizing this restaurant I saw a stack of these menus behind the cashier as I was paying. I asked and was told they always had them but you had to ask for one. Huh? They ought to be handing those out – at least to the old folks for whom they were printed. Whenever I go to Don Ramon’s with the old people in my family I ask for the early bird menu upon being seated which always seems to piss off the hostess.
I’ll end on a positive note. Although this certainly isn’t the best Cuban food in town it does seem to be the most consistent and family friendly. Pricing is a tad lower on average compared to other local Cuban restaurants. This isn’t franchised food in the sense of Olive-oh..my..GOD do I hate this place-Garden, this is authentic Cuban food served in a slightly more formulaic setting than you may be used to. As they continue to prosper and expand I hope they don’t outgrow their small time charm, it would be a shame to lose this one to paper hats and heat lamps.
Don Ramon Restaurant
502 S Military Trail
West Palm Beach, FL 33414
(561) 687-0161
No known website
Other Locations
2200 S.E. Ocean Blvd
Stuart, FL 34996
(772) 221-7711
6230-10 Indiantown Rd
Jupiter, FL 33458
(561) 741-3378
9920 Alternate A1A
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
(561) 625-1061
7101 S Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL 33405
(561) 547-8704
11294 West Forest Hill Blvd Suite 12
Wellington, FL 33414
(561) 795-1932
Reservations..............not taken / needed
Vegetarians...............rice, beanc, etc
Bathrooms.................clean enough for most
Kid Friendly...............yes
Hours.........................7 days by location
Dress Code................none
Parking......................parking lot / free
Wheelchair Access....yes
Credit Cards...............visa, mastercard, amex, discover
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Try the Lechon Asado!
Best Suited For: Kids and Families
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carnut2k4
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Member: Jason
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Reviews written: 99
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Muscle Shoals has got The Swampers
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