Oriente

Un-concerned service, lukewarm entrees. We visited Oriente during the Miami Spice Month while on vacation. Maybe our expectations were too high. The greeter disregarded the fact that we told her that we'd spoken to a particular server when we made our reservation. We were hoping to at least say hello to him because he took our reservation and told us that he would more than likely be our server. He was very nice on the phone. The server that was appointed to us was un-attentive. By the time we received our appetizers, my drink was watered down and an attempt to get a fresh one took forever. We ordered the skirt steak entree and the mahi mahi entree; the steak was tough and the rice and asparagus were lukewarm. The greeter also allowed street flower vendors to walk up to our (outside) terrace table to try to sell to us (annoying). Although the fixed price was decent, the overall non-chalant attitude from the staff left us un-impressed and dissatisfied.…

Gloria Estefan's restaurant in the Cardoza Hotel serves up Asian-Cuban fare in a loungy atmosphere.. In Short
What was once the casual Café Cardozo has become a fine-dining hot spot. The moody lounge-like dining room features dark woods, an orchid mural covering one wall, and a large bar. Fourteen indoor tables--some paired with comfy couches--and scores of outdoor tables allow prime vantage points for people-watching. The Asian-Cuban menu features appetizers such as crispy calamari with sweet chili tahini sauce and entrees like duck ropa vieja served with coconut sticky rice and caramelized plantains.
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Fantastic & Creative Cuban-Asian fusion. We had the prix-fixe dinner with incredible duck "sushi" as an appetizer. My boyfriend got the skirt steak, which is stuffed with beans and rice and was absolutely wonderful. I got the pork chops which were great (though not as great as the steak). Our server was friendly and attentive and pointed out that the butter for the bread had been blended with banana. Holy moly!…

Great food. Great ambiance.. Pros: + The combination of Cuban, Asian, and even Mediterranean food all together was delicious. + The presentation of the food was superb. + Everything is very clean. + Their restroom is very clean, which tells a lot about a restaurant.

+ Located in the "laid-back zone" of Ocean Drive, not the rowdy Mangos and Larios area.

Cons:

- Some may find this restaurant a bit pricey, but then again, you get what you pay for.…