"Back in the late aughts, Sra. Martinez was the place to go for Spanish tapas and great cocktails before heading to an Art Basel afterparty. Then it closed in 2012, only to resurrect itself in Coral Gables 12 years later. Tastes have (thankfully) changed since the original Sra. Martinez, but rather than chase the past, the restaurant is meeting its old regulars where they are in life now. We grew out of icing each other with Smirnoff and into respectable adults who secretly search our friend’s houses on Zillow. Sra. Martinez has also changed. It’s not the trendy, throat-irritatingly-loud hot spot it once was. That’s less a criticism than an acknowledgment of maturity. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc video credit: Virginia Otazo This version feels like it has lasting power. The food, which largely departs from Spain, is familiar but just adventurous enough. Their croquetas are filled with creamy carbonara, and the rich oxtail paella comes with bone marrow you can slide right off the bone to mix with the rice. A chocolate negroni and lychee martini are neighbors on the cocktail list. A little old, a little new. But by no means has Sra. Martinez become stuffy and boring. There's a Cuban quartet playing in the corner. It brings the pink and green dining room to life, but the soft bongo boops and bass plucks are calibrated for a comfortable conversation. Gone are the stiff wooden chairs. You could fall asleep in one of their booths. This is a comfortable restaurant for those tired of chasing impossible reservations and gambling on tasting menus. Is it a dinner you’re going to tell your friends they need to run to? No. But it’s one you’ll always think of when you’re near Coral Gables. Because Sra. Martinez is dependable. And that's a trait we've grown to appreciate. Food Rundown photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Carbonara Croquetas They’re a little Spanish, a bit Italian, and it takes serious self-control to not order another four. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Foie Gras Buttery seared foie gras and sweet brandy apples are piled onto a little hoe cake, which is a corn pancake, and definetely not what they used to call us in high school. The best part might be the frilly, crisp bits around the edges. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Wood Roasted Duck You won't find roasted duck and Oaxacan mole on any menu in Miami. But the smoky mole is a great sidekick to a duck so crunchy, it’s taken every ounce of resistance to not say it quackles. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Padron Peppers Sra. Martinez’s menu skews heavy and rich. So get your vegetables where you can. This Spanish staple was on the original menu and is dusted with an addictive seasoning. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Oxtail Paella There’s a crackly, soothing white noise that reverberates from the pan when your spoon scrapes off the crunchy layer of socarrat from the bottom. The oxtail gives it depth, but it’s the buttery marrow you scoop from the bone that melts all the rich flavors together. It’s the food equivalent of cuddling with a pile of chocolate lab puppies." - Virginia Otazo
