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