On the Town

Restaurant review: The Employee Cafeteria ** (of four) at Miami International Airport.

Other reviews: Read Lonnie's review of Subway here!

Here I am outside Terminal D in Miami, shortly after being escorted off the premises by Mr. Vargas.

I had heard about this eatery several times in my travels through Florida, but had never had the opportunity to eat there until just recently. I knew Kevin stopped by whenever he had the chance, to catch a wholesome, inexpensive meal between flights, and this alone was enough to arouse my curiosity. Located behind the ticket counter between terminals D and E, the cafeteria is difficult to find, but I was sure that the search would be worth the effort.

I entered the restaurant, mouth watering, knowing precisely what I was going to order: the black beans and rice (a South Florida staple thanks to the many Mexicans living there) and steamed mixed vegetables on the side. I had heard this was Kevin's standard order here, simple and unpretentious yet filling, satisfying and nutritious. I took my place in the queue, behind several hungry airport workers and flight crews. When I ordered, the server ladled delicious- smelling black beans over a bed of fluffy, tender-looking white rice. The steamed vegetables looked cooked to perfection, tender yet firm and bursting with color. After ordering my entree, it didn't take long for my senses to steer me straight to the chilled dessert case, where I grabbed a piece of apple pie and a cup of fruited jello for aprés nosh.

Unfortunately for me and readers of On the Town, this is where my dining experience at the Employee Cafeteria ended. I learned that the quaint name of this restaurant isn't really a name but rather a description. It really is a cafeteria for employees. And though I am employed, it isn't by the airport or by any of the airlines serving the airport, and therefore I am not allowed to eat at this particular restaurant. I was informed of this by Rolando Vargas, a security officer who questioned my lack of employee identification when I was sitting down to enjoy my lunch. The standard (and usually successful) "I'm a restaurant critic" line didn't wash with Mr. Vargas, who threatened to have my arrested if I didn't leave the premises. To top things off (in what I think was a somewhat overly-punitive gesture), he made me throw away my uneaten meal in the trash before leaving.

It's difficult not to let my unpleasant experience color my review, but rules are rules, I guess, whether I like them or not. In spite of everything that happened, I still feel compelled to give the employee cafeteria two stars, due to the mouth-watering presentation I saw. Everything looked freshly prepared, tasty, and reasonably priced, and judging from the satisfied expressions I saw on the faces of the diners as I was being manhandled by Mr. Vargas, they seem to produce a crowd-pleasing product. Just don't forget, like I did, you have to get a job at the airport before you can eat there!