Discover Little Havana

Gallery | Posted on September 16, 2015 by followmiche

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Little Havana brings the vibrant splendor of Cuban Culture to Miami. This past weekend I had the pleasure of being exposed to this  dynamic neighborhood for the first time. Extravagant Murals, Mojitos made to Perfection, and  elderly men discussing politics over their domino sets,were among its perks . I Brought some friends along and we felt as if we were tourist in our own city. We began our Little Havana tour with some cortaditos and croquetas de Bacalao, at the well-known restaurant of Versailles. The large restaurant seats 370 people and has ornate etched glass and statuettes. It features a bakery, a takeout area, and the facility to host banquets and parties. The restaurant was founded by Felipe Valls, Sr. in 1971.Versailles is a popular restaurant among local Cuban exiles and tourists, for its Cuban cuisine and connection to anti-Castro politics. According to Eugenio R. Martinez, a man to whom  I had the pleasure to sit and speak to,  informed me that Versailles was where Cuban exiles gathered to plot against Fidel Castro. Many political commissioners, mayors, legislators of Miami go there to have their sip of “cafecito”. I fell in love with the deep aroma of their Cuban  coffee and the feel of history this restaurant carries.

The gentleman I mentioned earlier, Eugenio R. Martinez, was pleased with my interest in his country’s culture  and decided to go into further detail on who he was.  The man was an  active member of the anti-Castro Cuban movement in the United States in the early 1960’s. Eugenio was a man who risked his life willing to save his country. He worked for the CIA for nearly 10 years carrying out missions to Cuba. Unfortunately he was caught up in the Watergate Scandal and was convicted of conspiracy, burglary, and illegal wiretapping for his role in the Watergate scandal. After completing his prison term, Martinez was pardoned by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. These are the type of individuals  you will encounter if you take the time to observe  and listen to this neighborhood’s  captivating residents.

As we walked  down “La Ocho”, we had a deeper taste of Little Havana  with their fruit and flowers stands, art galleries, and smoked filled cigar shops.  Our trip ended at the restaurant Ball and Chain. A place we were drawn  to by its live beats of Cuban Salsa and WOW! The vibrant, colorful ambiance this place held was incredible. They had musicians playing the drums, the piano, and the maracas. You could just feel the energy of people dancing with such passion and flawless rhythm.

I later was informed that Ball & Chain was a historic get-together dating back to the early 1930s, a time when constructions in most areas of depression-era in America were at a standstill. At the time Ball & Chain was a spot for gambling and illegal drinking . It was later sold to Jewish mobster in the 1950’s who hosted weekly fights between people who had been recently released from prison. Ball & Chain was closed and re-opened by the late 1960’s.  At the time when Miami had been impacted by Cubans due to their countries dictatorship,  the restaurant  was bought by a Cuban business man, who then turned the place into a restaurant/club serving food, drinks, and the liveliest entertainment. The place is now  experiencing a tourist boom unlike anything that it has seen before, yet they are keeping their authenticity with the original ‘The Ball & Chain’ sign   from 1930s.