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Where to Have Dinner at MIA?

Where to Have Dinner at MIA?

Old Nov 28, 2008, 4:42 am
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Where to Have Dinner at MIA?

We are flying DCA-MIA-SCL. The MIA-SCL flight leaves at 11:25 PM so we would like to have dinner before the flight. Are there any options other than the food court?

Coming back we have a 4 hour layover with a scheduled landing at 4:30 AM. Ugh? Any good breakfast options.
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 6:32 am
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Originally Posted by AlwaysOnTheRoad
We are flying DCA-MIA-SCL. The MIA-SCL flight leaves at 11:25 PM so we would like to have dinner before the flight. Are there any options other than the food court?

Coming back we have a 4 hour layover with a scheduled landing at 4:30 AM. Ugh? Any good breakfast options.
If you've spent any time on this board, you'll know that many FTers (myself included) hate all that is MIA. The food options are shameful for any airport, let alone a major AA hub. The best place that i know of is La Carreta, a cuban sandwich place, outside security. Some people on this board say there is a La Carreta stand airside but someone else will have to tell you where it is.

For your return, four hours probably isn't enough time to comfortably leave the airport and you probably won't find many good food options at 5AM anyway. Once you clear immigration/customs there is a mini food court with a bagel place directly across from security. I usually grab a light breakfast there. Even though its MIA, there shouldn't be much of a line for PriorityAAccess at that time and you can monitor it from the food course. Beyond that your best option is probably the AC and you will have access via your EXP status and int'l itinerary.

Hope this helps! Enjoy your trip to one of my favorite cities in the world!
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 6:38 am
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I'm not sure about breakfast options but I wouldn't count on getting good food at either AC. I was there two weeks ago and they still hadn't launched the new Amora product, and the only dinner item was a soggy cheeseburger or soup. I would recommend getting Au Bon Pain or Manchu Wok in the D concourse. There are also some nice Latin and seafood (sit down) restaurants in D. You won't find very much appealing in the E concourse, particularly the high E.
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 7:29 am
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The restaurant on the 7th floor of the MIA Hotel in E

is a real, sit-down, restaurant with real food and real beverages. Take the elevator up from the hotel lobby, which is outside security smack in the middle of E. It is pleasant, quiet, and a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the airport.
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 7:44 am
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Originally Posted by njvandy
The best place that i know of is La Carreta, a cuban sandwich place, outside security. Some people on this board say there is a La Carreta stand airside but someone else will have to tell you where it is.
There is a La Carretta stand in the D concourse inside security. Haven't tried it, but have read on this board the Cuban sandwiches are good.
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 7:47 am
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Originally Posted by njvandy
The best place that i know of is La Carreta, a cuban sandwich place, outside security.
The MIA La Carreta cafe outside security, a branch of the local restaurant chain, is open 24 hours and also has a cafeteria line. Their website is at: lacarreta.com. Earlier this month there was a Chowhound thread on "Lunch at Miami Airport" that you might find useful.
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 8:10 am
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Originally Posted by njvandy
If you've spent any time on this board, you'll know that many FTers (myself included) hate all that is MIA. The food options are shameful for any airport, let alone a major AA hub. The best place that i know of is La Carreta, a cuban sandwich place, outside security. Some people on this board say there is a La Carreta stand airside but someone else will have to tell you where it is.

For your return, four hours probably isn't enough time to comfortably leave the airport and you probably won't find many good food options at 5AM anyway. Once you clear immigration/customs there is a mini food court with a bagel place directly across from security. I usually grab a light breakfast there. Even though its MIA, there shouldn't be much of a line for PriorityAAccess at that time and you can monitor it from the food course. Beyond that your best option is probably the AC and you will have access via your EXP status and int'l itinerary.

Hope this helps! Enjoy your trip to one of my favorite cities in the world!
I dont recall whether the OP asked whether you liked MIA or not but it would be extremely helpful if the information you post has some semblance of accuracy.

a) There is no food opposite the exit from customs if fact there are no food options that level of the airport.
b) There is no food court opposite where you re-enter security at the combined D/C entrance you cant even see the lines from the main concourse walkways at all so I am at loss at what you are telling the OP to "monitor"
c) You keep saying La Carretta is a "cuban sandwich" place which indicates you obviously have never been in the place.
La Carretta IMHO is one of the best airport restaurants around. Food is family style Cuban and has a large number and sometimes varied daily selections of Cuban (dinner/lunch) entries soups and desserts etc. Only real drawback is that seating is cafeteria style but the food is good, portions large and is good value for money.
The above is probably represents the OP's best options on both legs of the trip.
There is also a couple of small eateries at including Pizza, Burger King and bar at concourse E.

mike

For a really great breakfast if the OP is inclined for a short taxi fare there a place called the Latin Cafe opposite the Crown Plaza on LeJuene Rd ...they open I believe at 600 am

Last edited by MIKESILV; Nov 28, 2008 at 8:19 am
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 9:55 am
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Originally Posted by MIKESILV
c) You keep saying La Carretta is a "cuban sandwich" place which indicates you obviously have never been in the place.
La Carretta IMHO is one of the best airport restaurants around. Food is family style Cuban and has a large number and sometimes varied daily selections of Cuban (dinner/lunch) entries soups and desserts etc. Only real drawback is that seating is cafeteria style but the food is good, portions large and is good value for money.
I cut the poster some slack because you can get a sandwich there -- or a full meal, if you prefer.

Thanks for the tip about the Latin Cafe; I'll be trying that myself in January.
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 10:10 am
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Originally Posted by greggwiggins
I cut the poster some slack because you can get a sandwich there -- or a full meal, if you prefer.

Thanks for the tip about the Latin Cafe; I'll be trying that myself in January.
Nope dont see any reason why I should .... in another thread that same poster stated with a great degree of authority that the ONLY option landside was Cuban sandwiiches.

mike
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 11:13 am
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La Carreta is one of my all-time favorite restaurants in any airport. It is a very authentic Cuban-American cafeteria, with delicious flan and tres leches (which is actually Nicaraguan) custards when you first come in. They also feature a wide array of American desserts like chocolate cake and puddings. I think after the desserts and before the main courses there are some salads but I usually don't waste a lot of time on them...

Their chicken soup, in a small or large cup, features big chunks of fresh white chicken meat bathed in a broth of saffron, noodles and carrots. Yum. Not too salty. It might be the perfect chicken soup.

For the main course, I usually get the "Ropa Vieja" which translates to "old clothes." It is strips of beef in a succulent tangy sauce of tomatoes and green peppers. Get a side of yellow rice, and ask them to pour some black beans over the rice, and put some onions on top of the whole thing and you have a meal that will keep you full for hours.

If you want something simpler, the fresh grilled chicken is also quite tasty.

Only pain is that it is cafeteria style so you have to figure out where to lean your luggage while you pay...but that's a small inconvenience IMHO when you're about to have some delicious Cuban food....!!!
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 11:32 am
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Another vote for La Carreta

I always try to stop by La Carreta if my connection time in MIA permits. I often see AA crew carrying La Carreta bags as well. I usually get the Imperial Rice or Rice & Beans. The tres leches cake is to die for!
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 1:40 pm
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MIA food options are shAAmeful. Just spent a long layover enroute south there this past week. The new terminal is nice but the worst food options in North America still remain.

I recommend anorexia or a liquid diet at the Havana Jet Bar located just outside security next to the first class check in. They make a mean mojito. There is also a Mojito bar and Starbucks next to get D36 that is passable.

You can also try some of the food in the Admirals Club but I think the verdict is pretty much out on that stuff.

The Beachcomber cafe at the end of the new terminal (D) looks appealing until you read the menu - conch fritters etc - sounds a bit dicey to be eating at an airport resto.

Good luck!
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 1:43 pm
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Originally Posted by RxCapt
I always try to stop by La Carreta if my connection time in MIA permits. I often see AA crew carrying La Carreta bags as well. I usually get the Imperial Rice or Rice & Beans. The tres leches cake is to die for!
I enjoy La Carreta very much as well and look forward to it which is why I was very confused to see posted in the very first reply:

"The food options are shameful for any airport, let alone a major AA hub."
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 2:16 pm
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Originally Posted by CityFlyerNYC
MIA food options are shAAmeful. Just spent a long layover enroute south there this past week. The new terminal is nice but the worst food options in North America still remain.

I recommend anorexia or a liquid diet at the Havana Jet Bar located just outside security next to the first class check in. They make a mean mojito. There is also a Mojito bar and Starbucks next to get D36 that is passable.

You can also try some of the food in the Admirals Club but I think the verdict is pretty much out on that stuff.

The Beachcomber cafe at the end of the new terminal (D) looks appealing until you read the menu - conch fritters etc - sounds a bit dicey to be eating at an airport resto.

Good luck!
If ever there was a post that demonstrates the sort of preception problems AA or for that matter MIA faces this is it...
" conch fritters .. dicey"... almost incredible
Do try and get out more often...try other foods other than pizza or matzo ball soup and you might just like it.

FYI conch fritters is an extremely popular and tasty item one finds on the menu of lots of Caribbean or South Florida type menu eateries.

MIA is not and never will be a New York city airport and thank God for that.
The sooner some here get it into their craniums that the great majority of the users are South American and Caribbean pax and that MIA should and will reflect that simple reality even more and more. If one is unable to handle that then just dont use MIA because it aint gonna change ... and fact that its by no coincidence that these routes just happen to be the most profitable in the entire AA system.

mike

Last edited by MIKESILV; Nov 28, 2008 at 5:32 pm
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Old Nov 28, 2008, 5:03 pm
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They have recently opened some new options for take away in the new D concourse. I was excited to see Sushi Maki (from the south miami restaurant) opened an outlet selling sushi. I know they have Nathans and Manchu-wok now in D as well. Not all that exciting, but for those of us who remember the old MIA days these are a HUGE step up.
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