Miami Lakers who have been missing the Latin American Grill since a fire forced its closing more than a year ago can look forward to returning to their favorite spot early next year.
Majority owner Reny Gonzalez showed off his more than $1.3 million restoration of the destination restaurant in the Park Centre Shops on Dec. 12.
He hopes to open in a month or so.
“We haven’t held back,” Gonzalez said about changes to the kitchen design and in the front of the house in what may be the most elegant-looking Latin café in South Florida.
Gonzalez designed the space with white subway wall tiles, espresso-colored wood and gray, tan and light blue Cuban tiles on low walls.
There is sophisticated lighting, gray metal and caramel-colored leather seats and counter stools and natural wood in the ceiling that all add to the ambiance of the restaurant at 15342 NW 79th Court. It will be open from 7 a.m. to midnight.
There’s lots of stone and stainless-steel counters and a double ventanita (little window) to serve cafecito and take-out orders.
During the tour, a disappointed customer stopped to ask about placing a food order, and the chef and waiters checked in with their boss and see how work was progressing.
“We really did this for the community,” Gonzalez said. “To give them back their home away from home.”
The blaze happened Nov. 19, 2022, when the fire suppression system didn’t function correctly. No one was injured.
After months of working with his insurer and town and county authorities, construction began. Among the costs are improvements customers won’t see, to the plumbing, air conditioning and electrical systems.
Unchanged is the menu, including all day, bountiful breakfasts; croquetas; medianoche sandwiches (roast pork, ham, Swiss, cheese, yellow mustard and pickles pressed inside sweet bread) and fruit shakes, with the same reasonable prices.
The sandwich-making station will be open to public view.
While the Miami Lakes location was shuttered Gonzalez steered homesick customers to his Pembroke Pines restaurant, where he said business rose 30 percent.
He’s hoping customers will return when the Miami Lakes Latin American Grill reopens to serve 125 diners inside and 40 on the sidewalk.
The outdoor ambiance will be like a bistro with waiter service. It will have Italian-style ceiling lights and fans, black and white French café chairs and white stone-topped tables.
The restaurant began in 1997 after Gonzalez took over the former Salad Gallery. The Park Centre Shops is owned by The Graham Companies.
“[Former U.S. Sen. and Fla. Gov.] Bob and Adele Graham were my first customers,” Gonzalez said. “If it wasn’t for Carol [Graham Wyllie, a retired executive] and Stu [Wyllie, president and chief executive officer of The Graham Companies] I wouldn’t be the man I am today. They took a chance on a young gun.”