Somewhere in the midst of the Little Havana scene lies a place known for its extensive and expansive selection of delicious seafood. Open since the early 1960s, La Camaronera has become a staple to the Miami area since its opening, starting as a fish market and rising into a popular restaurant. While I am a huge fan of seafood, I have never had Southeast Florida seafood. If anyone says that there is no difference, stop reading now. West coast seafood has quickly become my favorite type, with places like Whiskey Joes and Crabby Bills in the Tampa/Clearwater zone. Now, seeing that I am in a hotel that charges 20 bucks for parking a day, I decided to walk there instead. Three miles of walking is very different from three miles of driving, by the way. Nonetheless, after about an hour of walk, I found the spot. Like Viva Chile before it, its a very small location tucked in the corner of a plaza. That corner also was the only part of the plaza with cars parked.
Inside, its an interesting scene. Let's just say bringing a date here is not the best idea, unless you've known her for a while. This place lacks tables, and lacks chairs. This place consists of a very long counter, an area to buy fresh fish, a massive mirror, and an ATM machine (they only take cash). The locals that visit here often are known as "Los Paraditos" because of their constant standing while devouring their lunch. At least the food can now digest faster. Their most popular items include the fried shrimp, the fried lobster, and also their seafood sandwiches. I ordered the fried lobster (which is market price) and the fried shrimp, skipping out on the sandwiches. The staff was very nice and patient with me, as the locals noticed it was my first time and offered their tidbits.
The fried shrimp was delivered first. This was very good, although it wasn't as filling as the shrimp in the west coast. It was nicely breaded, did pack plenty of shrimp meat, but the portion (and the pieces themselves) were a lot smaller than I've had recently. At 6.50, its not a bad price for the amount given. Their tartar sauce was also very good. And then came the fried lobster. This was a tougher one to chew, literally and figuratively. The plate was $17, and offered the same amount as the fried shrimp. I know that lobster is always more expensive, but the portion definitely did not match the price tag, I personally thought it wasn't enough. The meat itself was quite good, but also not very filling. The crust conquered the flavor, as the lobster was quite tough to chew. It was good, but hard to swallow because of how much it was. Now, while some places charge a little more for presentation, the lack of tables and chairs definitely disproves that potential theory.
Was I disappointed? No, not at all, this seafood was good, it definitely was fresh. But once you've gone to the Tampa area and sampled their inexpesive yet incredible seafood, then it will be hard for these places to truly stand out. For example: I had a meal called a Key West Platter in a seafood place in Clearwater: This dish had mahi-mahi, shrimp, mashed potatoes, hush puppies, and fritters. All this, and it was a cent cheaper than one order of fried lobster. Nowadays, you strive to get as much as you can for each buck you spend. That Key West Platter was not only filing and good, but at a mere $17 I was full to the brim. Then there's the masterpiece seafood pizza in Ricky T's Bar and Grill---which was a $17 pizza with lobster AND crab AND shrimp. I spent nearly $30 at La Camaronera (after tip) and I wasn't really full. If they reduce some of their prices, then it would have been a more satisfying experience. Nonetheless, its good Miami seafood. Now that I think about it, yea, I was slightly disappointed.
Bottom Line: La Camaronera deserves its local underground success, because of its offering of fresh seafood amongst its diverse menu. But as someone who has traveled a lot and has seen/tasted it all, I've had better, and I've seen better-priced. I recommend it as long as you have plenty of cash, but it definitely lags when going up against the Tampa seafood joints. The shrimp was good, but it was much better in Whiskey Joes. The fried lobster was good, but was nasty on the price tag. La Camaronera I am sure can receive better acclaim if one of three things happen: they drop some of their prices, increase their portions, or if the economy explodes and all of a sudden Little Havana has Las Vegas money.
Until then, it hurts to pay, no matter how good it might be.
La Camaronera
1952 West Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33135
(305) 642-3322
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