El Novillo

"El Novillo is a great upscale option with an impressive selection of grilled meats, including a taconazo—a cut of beef resembling a high heel—as well as traditional appetizers, like vigorón, a heap of tangy cabbage salad and boiled yucca topped with crunchy chicharrones. This place also prepares some hard-to-find, old school continental dishes like steak medallions in a marchand de vin sauce and lobster thermidor. However, one of the real draws here is its interior, which is made to resemble a traditional colonial plaza in Nicaragua, complete with a gurgling fountain in the middle of the main dining room." - carlos c olaechea

"More upscale Nicaraguan restaurants often offer superior quality of meats when compared to what you’ll find at most fritangas, and an only-in-Miami type of experience you can brag to our out-of-town friends about. El Novillo offers an impressive selection of grilled meats, including a taconazo - a cut of beef resembling a high heel - as well as traditional appetizers, like vigorón - a heap of tangy cabbage salad and boiled yucca topped with crunchy chicharrones. This place also prepares some hard to find, old-school continental dishes like steak medallions in a marchand de vin sauce and lobster thermidor. However, one of the real draws here is its interior, which is made to resemble a traditional colonial plaza in Nicaragua, complete with a gurgling fountain in the middle of the main dining room." - Carlos C Olaechea

"Nicaraguans arrived in large numbers beginning in the 1980s due to the Sandinista revolution and created their hub in Miami, much like the Cubans did two decades earlier. They moved into the community of Sweetwater, locally referred to as Little Managua. El Novillo isn’t quite in Sweetwater but it’s close by. This upscale steak restaurant was one of the most important restaurants to come out of Miami’s Nicaraguan migration for its detailed colonial plaza decor and beef-heavy menu representative of the country’s foodways. The best part about this place (especially for those new to the cuisine) are the attentive waiters bringing you the full spread of Nicaraguan sides, such as gallo pinto and maduros, in elaborate platters served tableside. Finishing the meal with a tres leches is a smart move too." - Mandy Baca