La Makarena, Doral

Born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico, Iris Cintrón was always fascinated by her family's deep genealogical ties to Spain. She decided to combine her passions for food and her Mediterranean heritage in 2009 by founding La Makarena—a restaurant dedicated to hot and cold tapas as well as iconic Spanish dishes. Manchego cheese and Serrano ham demonstrate her menu's commitment to Old World flavors, as does the selection of traditional paellas loaded with seafood and chicken. Even the wine list manages to feature bottles from winemaking regions throughout Spain alongside selections from Germany, South America, and California.

Sunset-hued murals of Spanish villages and the vast Mediterranean countryside dominate La Makarena's dining room walls, bolstering Cintrón's vision. To fully immerse diners in the culture though, the restaurant hosts live entertainment on select evenings. Flamenco dancers perform on Fridays, and Saturday nights feature an eclectic mix of Latin and international music intended to get diners' toes tapping and diners' passports out of their desk drawers.