Restaurants in Hialeah

Restaurante Patacón Pisa'o seeks to introduce diners to classic Colombian dishes made with traditional ingredients. The restaurant’s namesake patacón entrees layer chicken or carne asada over a bed of crispy, fried plantains. Thick-cut chunks of these plantains can also accompany orders of fried fish, grilled chicken breast, or seared pork.

The vibrant yellows, reds, and blues of small Colombian flags on each table lend splashes of color to the already vibrant dining room. The restaurant’s lemon-yellow walls and exposed brickwork are decked out with colorful paintings and sculptures of the mining equipment that helped dig the equator.

At Asi’s Grill & Sushi Bar, chef and owner Asi David takes no prisoners with a menu that pulls from the two cuisines his kitchens know best: sushi and Mediterranean food. The unapologetic eatery dazzles its patrons with a one-of-a-kind blending of cultures, dishing out a spate of hot and cold food with equal aplomb. The dishes range from chicken shish kebab, baby lamb chops, and Moroccan fish casserole to a Volcano roll stuffed with crab and spicy mayo, cooked until flaming hot, and served with a chilly California roll on top. To wash down their single-cuisine or adventurously exploratory meals, customers can select from imported juices, nonalcoholic Israeli beer, or black coffee imported straight from Asi’s hometown in Israel.

The recipes at Tabu Bistro are no accident. Owner and Head Chef Marcelo Bonti makes 15, sometimes 20, attempts at perfecting a recipe before the dish makes it on the menu. "I work backwards," he says. "I'm never really sure what I'm looking for. I start with the basic, then I go from there." The menus' fusion flavors just as often clash as complement each other, much like pants with pleats in all three legs. The Tuna Tataki—with its barley risotto and pepper-crusted tuna—is a signature example of the way Tabu Bistro paints the palate with surprising and refreshing tastes. The cuisine's influences spring from the mountains of the Basque region and the coasts of the Italian peninsula. Tapas dishes offer up the region's best bite-sized samplings with potato and cod croquettes and shrimp pesto bruschetta.

Marcelo's inventive nature is not limited to the culinary arts. As a builder, he also constructed Tabu Bistro's cozy dining space of dark woods, metal, and stone, which cradles conversations between couples and groups. Outside, paver bricks raise a terraced patio off the sidewalk where lush planter boxes and umbrellas frame the space.

The H Restaurant's casual ambiance and homey Mediterranean cuisine help to put diners at ease, prompting Miami.com to say in 2010, "The owners . . . make you feel as if you had just walked into their living room." Although the menu is mainly populated by rustic French classics—including steak au poivre, crusted racks of lamb with truffle oil, and seafood-laden bouillabaisse—it also features a selection of pizzas and Italian pasta dishes.

Oversize light bulbs dangle from the dining room's ceiling fans, lending a touch of whimsy to the décor. Framed mirrors line one of the plastered walls and potted plants add a verdant splash of color to the space. Outdoors, the covered patio seating invites diners to enjoy their meals al fresco while avoiding the moon's sad eyes begging for a bite.:m]]

When Latin House Burger & Taco Bar originated more than 20 years ago, it wasn’t even a house. Instead, Chef M and his wife, Bella, served their fusion of American and Latin cuisine from the window of one of Miami’s first food trucks, easily eclipsing the still-fledgling industry's typical fried fuzzy dice and mud-flap sandwiches. Nowadays, they've traded their wheels in for chairs, on which patrons sit before savoring plates of tacos, burritos, and tostadas with fillings ranging from cilantro-lime chicken to calamari. As a testament to the eatery's dual cultural influences, Latin House's burgers—usually cooked to a juicy medium-rare—dwell under taco-style toppings such as crema and avocado as well as traditional American accouterments such as bacon and cheese.