Sweet potato croquettes with chili-coconut sauce


Sweet potato croquettes with chili-coconut sauce

For nearly 30 years the Xiomara group has been serving upscale Cuban American cuisine to the SoCal masses.

The Melrose location has been there exactly 10 years, which is 100 in restaurant years. It must be pretty decent if it’s stuck around that long.

We arrived the night before Thanksgiving and not a creature was stirring (not even a cockroach) so we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

Xiomara is my first taste of Latin American fine dining and I was intrigued to see if they could offer more than the usual jamon, black beans and plantains.

We started with the creative yet familiar Sweet Potato Croquettes. These are a must order. Especially loved the coconut chili dipping sauce. They’re very rich too, so one order for two people is plenty.

The corn encrusted Sea Bass was incredible. A large, perfectly cooked filet sitting in a wonderful corn-infested bath. Some of the bits of corn attached to the fish were a bit burnt but the overall flavor made up for it.

The special of the night was the Rack of Lamb, which was simply prepared, nicely peppered, perched atop a nice pile of mashed potatoes.

The famous Mojito is a must order, as it’s not too syrupy or sweet. Mojitos often equal hangovers, but not in this case.

Unless you drink 7 of ’em, ya drunk.

6101 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 461-0601
xiomararestaurant.com

Table Bread

Table Bread

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Xiomara's famous Mojito

Xiomara’s famous Mojito

Tortilla Espanola - Amuse Bouche

Tortilla Espanola – Amuse Bouche

Sweet Plantains

Sweet Plantains

  Steamed mussels with fresh Seville orange and lim juice, white wine and garlic with grilled bread


Steamed mussels with fresh Seville orange and lim juice, white wine and garlic with grilled bread

  Sweet potato croquettes with chili-coconut sauce


Sweet potato croquettes with chili-coconut sauce

Rack of Lamb with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies.

Rack of Lamb with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies.

Chilean sea bass with a crispy corn crust served on roasted bell pepper, mashed potatoes and corn stew

Chilean sea bass with a crispy corn crust served on roasted bell pepper, mashed potatoes and corn stew

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