When you ask a lot of foodies where the best bites are, they may just tell you … on the street! A hit Netflix show agrees — especially here in SoFlo, where they’re exploring our hot street food scene. Deco’s street-walking reporter, Alex Miranda, has all the delicious deets.
By street food, we don’t mean on the ground. We just mean, you know, outside, and if you’re already a fan of “Street Food: USA,” well, we checked out a few local spots with a big, starring role on the show.
Narrator: “The best food is on the street: incredibly rich, diverse, bursting with flavor.”
Netflix is taking a bite outta SoFlo.
Interview subject on Street Food: USA”: “It’s culture, it’s passion, it’s love, it’s family, it’s friends.”
The hit docu-series “Street Food: USA” hit the 305 to showcase some of the city’s best grub.
For director Mariano Carranza, it was all about giving the community a voice.
Mariano Carranza: “For me, food is a vehicle by which we tell stories, really important stories. Food is where we come from. Food is where we’re going to. Food is identity. Food is who we are.”
One of those stories is the Cuban sandwich from Luis Galindo’s Latin American Restaurant.
Melissa Elias: “The Cuban sandwich is made by our luncheros, and luncheros is sort of slang for Cuban sandwich master.”
And the iconic frita from El Rey de las Fritas.
Mercedes Gonzalez: “I think El Rey de las Fritas is part of the community, not only Miami but here in Little Havana. We’ve been a staple here for a very long time.”
Mercy Gonzalez and her family have been behind the grill and running the restaurant for over 50 years.
As the name implies, the frita reigns supreme.
Mercedes Gonzalez: “What makes the frita different than the traditional hamburger is our blend of meats, with the Spanish sausage and ground beef mixed together and the different spices, and we do a little grilled onions, our special sauce. We top it with the shoestring fries, and then, of course, the Cuban bun. I love when customers come in and take that first bite of our Cuban frita. It’s like no other.”
“Street Food” also features Larry Reaves of World’s Famous Souseman BBQ.
Larry Reaves (on the show): “Whenever I start feeling bad, I would just go in the kitchen and cook. It was just therapy.”
Larry Reaves: “I was amazed, because it made me feel like I was a movie star or something, the whole nine yards. It was a wonderful experience.”
The episode wouldn’t be complete without the bold flavors at Naomi’s Garden Restaurant and Lounge.
Omaar Yemini: “Naomi’s Garden is in the Little Haiti area. It’s a Caribbean restaurant. It’s been here since 1998, and it’s really home-cooked food, really influenced by Haitian cuisine and Jamaican cuisine.”
One of their signature plates is the Legim.
Omaar Yemini: “It’s a vegetable dish that we get a collection of vegetables, and we boil them, we mash them up, and it’s really served like a stew because they all cook together.”
This dish comes with rice and a spicy pikliz slaw, and it’s a pretty hearty portion.
Omaar Yemini: “We know how to serve the people. We know how to welcome people. We want everybody to have a wonderful time. Here you get a real meal that’s filling, that’s made with love, and most dishes are under $15.”
Episodes of “Street Food: USA” are streaming now.
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