Photos By Christian Gonzalez
Chef Eileen Andrade knows a thing or two about the restaurant world. After all, she was born into the family behind Miami’s legendary Cuban restaurant, Islas Canarias. Her teen years were spent in the kitchen helping out, but that early exposure only propelled her away from what would ultimately provide her the greatest joy.
“I wanted nothing to do with my family’s business. I saw how laborious it was — and how draining,” the 35-year-old recounts.
Instead, she opted for a career in fashion, getting a degree in Fashion Merchandising and interning in the field for a couple of years. But the familial pull proved strong, and Andrade returned to Islas Canarias, not as a high schooler but as a full-time employee learning the ropes.
“My mom started me off from the bottom — making empanadas. I worked the whole line: grill, sauté, fry — all of that. Then I moved to the front of the house, working behind the counter making coffees and taking orders. Then I moved up to management.”
La Sala
She quickly realized that the kitchen was her happy space, returning to learn under the guidance of Islas Canarias Chef Omar Caycho, leading her to launch the Cuban Cube food truck with her brother in 2011. Specializing in Cuban-Asian fusion cuisine, it has since closed, but drew a steady following for its unique dishes like croqueta bao buns.
A trip to South Korea in 2013 would further shape Andrade’s culinary identity. “I found an older lady who was retired and was doing cooking classes — I would get on the train at 7 a.m., go to her little studio and we’d just cook for hours. That was where my love for Korean food came about,” she says.
Upon returning to Miami, she opened Finka Table & Tap, a Korean-influenced Cuban in the summer of 2014. It was an overnight success.
Gochujang Paella, Halibut, Airline Chicken, Pork Belly
“We had a great bar program, the menu was … simple but I think for the people of Kendall that hadn’t had something like that, it was very different. I was just happy to bring something new to the neighborhood. I lived .88 miles from Finka, so I understood that there was a need for something like this in the area because I was driving to downtown Miami every weekend to go somewhere cool.”
Her next venue, Amelia’s 1931, named in honor of her late grandmother (born that same year), welcomed eager patrons in November 2017. Barbakoa by Finka serves a similar cuisine revolving around coal-fired ingredients followed in the spring of 2021.
Most recently, Amelia’s 1931 has undergone a transformation. While the original space resembled a diner, the updated and expanded restaurant (taking over a former dry cleaner) is elegant, classy and carries serious speakeasy vibes. There’s a touch of whimsy as well: patrons must cross through a row of hanging dry cleaning (a nod to the former tenant) and will spot a washing machine at work in the entrance.
Here, Andrade’s Cuban-Asian style shines with favorites like Umami
Boniato Gnocchi
Butter Escargot, Pork Belly with Sweet Chili, Queso Frito and Cucumber Salad, Boniato Gnocchi with Rocoto Cream Sauce, Toasted Panko and Herbs and Gochujang Paella with Mussels, Prawns, Octopus, Halibut and Peas.
Regardless of how far Andrade may stray when exploring cuisines, her family and her roots are very present in everything she does. Not only does she dine regularly at Islas Canarias, she uses the traditional recipes learned during her tenure there as a springboard to her own dishes.
“My base flavors, when it comes to Cuban dishes, are always going to be traditional, it’s just the extras that we add on to kind of make it a little bit fun,” she explains.
While her grandparents, Raul and Amelia Garcia, who opened Islas Canarias in 1977, have both passed away, they hold a special place in her heart. In fact, Finka Table & Tap was named after her grandfather. After going through 150 name options, Andrade chose “finka,” which means “farm” in Spanish, in honor of his rural upbringing. As for Amelia’s 1931, diners are privy to decor in the entrance that includes one of her abuela’s original sewing machines.
“My grandmother was a seamstress as well so that kind of tied in,” Andrade adds.
While some of the hanging dry-cleaning belongs to the family matriarch, Andrade extends the homage to the community and also invites contributions to the restaurant’s lounge area called “La Sala,” which boasts vinyl records, chairs and tables of loved ones.
With her thriving trio of restaurants, Andrade’s philosophy, “Every day gives us another chance to make someone’s heart smile,” echoes her gratitude and joy.
“I always say the best feeling is being in the kitchen and seeing plates coming back empty. There’s nothing better than eating and feeling satisfied, and the fact that I can provide that — I love that.”
Oxtail Fried Rice
Serves 4 / Prep & Cook Time: 4 Hours
INGREDIENTS
To prepare the oxtail:
4 lbs. oxtail,
cut into separate pieces
3 tablespoons salt
3 teaspoons pepper
½ cup olive oil
1 leek, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
3 carrots, chopped
1 Spanish onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cups beef stock
3 cups of red wine
½ cup soy sauce
4 bay leaves
3 tablespoons
fresh thyme leaves
To finalize the dish:
4 cups cooked white rice
4 oz. red peppers, diced
4 oz. thinly sliced carrots
4 oz. fried sweet plantains
4 oz. sliced button mushrooms
1 oz. fresh pressed ginger juice
3-5 oz. soy sauce (to taste)
4 fried eggs (chicken or duck)
3 teaspoons sesame oil
PROCESS
• Season the oxtail with salt and pepper. In a large pan, add olive oil and heat on medium to high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the oxtail on all sides until browned, about 3 minutes on each side.
• Remove the oxtail and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• In the same oil used to sear the oxtail, sauté leeks, onions, carrots, minced garlic and tomatoes for about 5 minutes. Add the oxtail to the pan and add soy sauce. Cook these ingredients for 2 minutes. Then add bay leaves, thyme, stock and wine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 3 hours. Check on the oxtail to make sure the meat is falling off the bone before removing it from the stove. Pull the oxtail off the bone and put to the side.
• Place a large sauté pan on the burner and increase to medium-high heat. Add sesame oil, then sauté red peppers with oxtail for about 30 seconds. Add carrots, plantains and rice. Sauté until mixed evenly, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, ginger and soy sauce and sauté another 2 minutes. Serve in a bowl and top with a fried chicken or duck egg.