Jorge: Café Bolero is another Chicago restaurant gem with an extensive Cuban menu and reasonable prices. This Cuban restaurant is brightly lit with many decorations and a good atmosphere, They have an open grill in the front of the restaurant and on a Saturday night the area is a beehive of activity.

Glenn: Unfortunately, the back room has all the charm and atmosphere. It is also the smoking section. If you can't stand the smoke, and we did smell cigar smoke here, you're stuck in the front room by the grill.

Jorge: You do get to watch the cooks in action.

Glenn: The plancha at Café Bolero really gets a workout -- they must sell a lot of sandwiches here at lunch time.

Jorge: Café Bolero starts you out with a serving of pan cubano and a nicely spiced butter. The butter is delicious, but the Cuban bread? Let's just say it's not exactly Cuban.

Glenn: The Chicago Cubans just don't (or can't?) make a decent loaf of Cuban bread.

Raúl: But hey, the music is nice here. Café Bolero plays a lot of afro-Cuban music and it is very relaxing. There are a lot of Cubans eating here and the staff is very friendly.

Jorge: Start your evening with some great appetizers. The papas rellenas are excellent, crispy brown on the outside and hot and tender on the inside. You can order an appetizer plate that includes several treats - the croquetas are great with a nice kick of garlic and not overly hammy. The tomato and lime juice salsa is a nice accompaniment.

Glenn: I especially like Café Bolero's ropa vieja. In the wrong hands the beef can become tough and chewy. The guys in the kitchen know how to slow simmer this excellent cut of meat to make it very tender.

Raúl: If you love onions, try the Bistec Encebollado, a tender cut of beef served smothered in onions. The picadillo is very good here too, as is the boliche, a tender pot roast stuffed with Spanish chorizo.

Jorge: Café Bolero serves green peppers stuffed with rice, cheese and a tomato salsa. Not something you usually see on the menu in Miami, but they taste great.

Raúl: All of the dishes are nicely presented, making the food at Café Bolero all the more appetizing.

Glenn: They have a small stage and feature live music, but not when we were there. Call ahead if the entertainment is important to you.

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