Crowd-Pleaser El Novillo
El Novillo has long been one of my family's favorite restaurants to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or special event. The decor of the restaurant instantly transports you to another time and place, where you feel as though you have been invited dine at a Nicaraguan hacienda.
A special occasion dinner always starts with a pitcher of sangria and a plate of assorted appetizers. The sangria is not too sweet, just how we like it and the variety of the appetizers ensures that everyone will find something that they like, whether it is the kielbasa, spare ribs, beans and tortilla, taquitos, fried cheese, or my favorite: vigoron, Nicaraguan cole slaw with yuca and chicharron. Most main courses provide a protein served with a trio of tasty sides, plantain chips, sweet plantains, and gallo pinto (red beans and rice), as well as a side salad. The restaurant's signature dish is the churrasco steak which comes in three sizes: the 8 oz. "Baby," 12 oz. "El Novillo," and the 16 oz. "Big Daddy". My family also likes the chicken churrasco and the Nicaraguan fajitas, but we recommend avoiding the Medallions Marchand de Vin as the sauce masks the flavor of the meat. When we have room, we also order the tres leches, which is, without exception, one of the best tres leches commercially available in Miami.
El Novillo [MenuPages]
El Novillo [Official Site]
