Celebrating Cuban food is bittersweet
Versailles is a San Fernando Valley institution, though they also have locations in Culver City and Los Angeles. It’s been around for over fifty years. I first went there when my husband and I were dating, back in the early 90’s. It was my first introduction to Cuban food, and I liked it. My sister reminded me I took her and a friend there when she was in high school – so over twenty years ago -, but I don’t actually recall that experience. Still, when I suggested that we revisit it during our last visit to my family, both Mike and Kathy were up for it.
While my recollections of Versailles were vague, both my sister and I remembered it as fancier than it is in its current state. That might have been because it was darker when we previously dined there, or because we were poorer and thus our ideas of fancy were more modest – but I suspect that the difference is that they used tablecloths once upon a time – and perhaps they had nicer chairs. The chandeliers are still nice, however.
We were there for a very early dinner midweek, so the restaurant was empty when we got there, though a couple of parties joined later. That was a big change from the buzzle I remember from yesteryear, but, again, we were very early
Dinner started with freshly made garlic bread, which was wonderful but made the whole restaurant smell like garlic. It’s not a smell that I mind, myself, but some people might not be as big fans.
With so many great sounding Cuban specialties in the menu, it was hard to make up my mind – but I finally decided on my favorite Cuban dish: ropa vieja ($23). This is a dish of shredded beef cooked in a tomato, onion and bell pepper sauce. Versailles’ version was very good, though I think not quite as good as mine or the one at Porto’s. Still, I really enjoyed it and the portion was large enough to have leftovers for the next day.
It came with rice, beans and fried bananas. I skipped the beans – and declined the waiter’s offer to bring me more bananas. I shouldn’t have, as the bananas were absolutely delicious. Sweet, of course, but that’s what made them so good. Add some ice cream to them, and you have dessert.
Kathy had the chuletas the puerco ($24), marinated pork chops served with sautéed onions and a garlic sauce. Unfortunately, she wasn’t a big fan. She found the pork chops a tad overcooked and dry, and while she liked the flavor, she didn’t think it was extraordinary.
Unlike me, she did ask for extra fried bananas instead of rice and beans, and she got a whole plate of them! As I mentioned, they were delicious.
Mike had something quite similar to Kathy’s: lechón asado ($18). This shredded roasted pork is marinated and served with a creole sauce and sliced raw onions. He absolutely loved it. He found it tender and delicious. He also liked the accompanying black beans, though he noted they were a bit too soupy.
For dessert, we shared a slice of tres leches cake ($8), which was also good in the way tres leches cake usually is.
Service was wonderful. Our waiter was solicitous and offered us more garlic bread and extra fried bananas.
All in all, Mike and I would definitely go back. I’m not as sure about Kathy.
Versailles Comida Cubana
17410 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA
(818) 906-0756
Daily 11 AM - 9 PM
I borrowed from the Berkeley public library. It was 1993, I was newly married and determined to cook for my husband. That year I became a cook, a good cook if I may say so myself, and Ropa Vieja has been a favorite I’ve gone back to time after time.
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