90 Miles Cuban Cafe, Lincolnwood

The Gonzalez family, who own 90 Miles Cuban Cafe, serves the dishes that remind them of their Cuban roots. They draw inspiration for their restaurant's name, and their cuisine, from the 90-mile journey from Cuba to America in a shrimp boat over 15 hours of dark, stormy seas.

Though their journey was dark, they bring light colors to their vibrant atmosphere and dishes lit with the neon greens of avocados and the pinks of pickled onions. They grill pork chops after marinating them in citrus mango and then top them with grilled vegetables. Bringing out rich red tones against the florescent yellows of plantains, they make roja vieja by slow roasting shredded beef with bell peppers and Creole salsa.