La Lupita's An Example Of Great Mexican...Ole!

There are no wide hats, terracotta colors or any other brightly colored décor that we’ve come to expect when entering a Mexican restaurant at La Lupita. If anything the interior of this spot is the antithesis of that with simple white décor and only paper placemats on tables and walls covered with large scale color photographs of scenes from the country to remind diners what the cuisine is that will hit their table.But when that order arrives, it’s evident owner Humberto Jimenez and his chef take the cuisine of their homeland seriously. There’s no cheddar cheese or sour cream, those Americanized accompaniments people have become accustomed to. Here they use a shredded white authentic Mexican cheese, and sparingly at that, and their specialty cream too. Red and green (salsa verde) sauces are the norm on most dishes as well.Jimenez himself is a character, a guy who loves living in Miami and isn't afraid to show it. He himself is the genuine article, always mingling with customers, working the tables if need be, anything to keep diners smiling and happy. When he describes dishes his passion and love for Mexican food pour out.La Lupita is in a great location too, in the heart of Downtown's Brickell area and within walking distance from many of the newer high rises in the area. This is the perfect place to stop in for happy hour and then stay for dinner.Everything is made fresh on premises, their quesadillas are cooked to order, never pre-made, the tortillas are prepared by hand daily and the red beans, made either refried or as a soup, are made from scratch and as authentic as they come. I tried all of these and more when I was there and just couldn't get enough. The pork, chicken, beef, chorizo, all of it, incredibly flavorful, it's hard to choose one when ordering. I'm partial to flautas or tostadas which are crispy and crunchy but the tacos are never a bad choice either. Jimenez, his chef and cook and staff wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, almost all the folks who help run this place are Mexican.La Lupita is located at 1057 SE First St., 305-373-5406. Click here to view their IDine page.