A mural decorates the exterior of the 90 Miles Cuban Café

Last summer, we explored the Argo Georgian Bakery on Devon Avenue and found great ethnic food. DePaul University student Catherine Jones shares her discovery of the Cuban restaurant 90 Miles in this installment of People and Places.

It’s a simple fact. The forbidden always tastes sweeter, so what better slogan for a Cuban café? The people of the United States have had a strange fascination with the Cuban lifestyle since the days we considered the island nation the “playground of the Americas.” Chicago’s Latino residents comprise about 26% of the city’s population according to the 2000 census, some of whom are Cubans and Cuban Americans. One such Chicagoan, Alberto Gonzalez, is the owner of the 90 Miles Cuban Café. Gonzalez came to the United States as part of the Mariel boatlift in 1980, grew up in Miami, and moved to Chicago after meeting his wife. Following nine years of mortgage brokering, Gonzalez changed careers, became a restaurateur, and 90 Miles was born.

Gonzalez talks enthusiastically about the experience he wants his customers to have. He aims to create an atmosphere like the one he remembers from his childhood. He kept the menu simple and the food fresh. It’s the little touches that really bring this café to life. These details might be lost on most people, but Cuban Americans who stop in notice. On the tables, he put household objects that bring a sense of nostalgia to those who recognize them from their own childhood—a sewing machine, a lantern like the ones families used during black outs. He serves drinks in glass jars rather than glasses, an acknowledgement of how living with scarce resources led to household objects serving multiple purposes. The walls are adorned with pre-Castro newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, and stamps. But he carefully avoids making political statements at the risk of offending or making anyone uncomfortable.

90 Miles Café’s signature interior

But how’s the food? Incredible. Gonzalez wants his food to be authentic and fresh. He believes some struggle to prepare Latin American food in the United States without compromising its original flavor. It doesn’t hurt that Gonzalez uses recipes passed down through the family. He told me his grandmother ran a catering business for Castro when they lived in Cuba, so you know it’s good. A mix of African and Spanish influences, the Cuban food offered at 90 Miles is truly delicious.

What’s your favorite ethnic food spot in Chicago?

> Lean more about Cubans in Chicago

Tags: 90 Miles Cuban Café, Alberto Gonzalez, Catherine Jones, Cuban Americans, DePaul University, Mariel boatlift, People and Places, Peter Alter

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 at 2:23 pm and is filed under History. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.