Meet the Owner of RG Cocina Mexicana: George Rodriguez

When you visit a place that has a long history, you tend to wonder who’s behind it. In the case of my favorite restaurant, the owner is George Rodriguez. He’s the soul behind the new image of the place, and I have to tell you that I was eager to talk to him. Through one of the staff members I got the chance to sit down and talk to him, and his story will enchant you.  He was born in New Jersey, and his family is Colombian, but his heart is Mexican since his stepfather is Mexican. “He taught me a lot.” He’s proud of mixing those cultures in his cooking, of joining the three different styles to make his own.

He started working at RG Cocina Mexicana, back in 1992 it was called “El Rancho Grande”. That was when he was 12 years old, working as a dishwasher. Doing jobs all the way up to the kitchen, he learnt the basics. He went from assistant cook to salad prep, to server assistant. He went back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen. And in the process, gained the knowledge and desire to know more about the business. He studied cuisine and became the official owner in 2003, when he was 23, and he opened the North Beach location. At that point, it was a very isolated area and not nearly as transitated as today, so he had to roll up his sleeves and get his hands on to make the restaurant grow. “I had to change my mindset, from working in the business, to work on the business. It’s a subtle difference, but it meant the world to me.”

That change made him decide to reach 786 Marketing to change the aspect of the restaurant, to modernize the feel of the place. “I love it, I identify myself with it.” He told me that when he was in Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts, he realized that people thought of Mexican cuisine as just a taco, nachos and burritos. At that point, he decided to take that notion and transform his food into something sophisticated, playful and colorful. “They thought of it as just street food, and I challenged that.”. He started making dishes that not only tasted good, but that were appealing to the public. To take them on a journey through their senses, and he surely did when he put together RG Cocina Mexicana current menu.

When I asked him what was his favorite dish, he told me that it was a trick question. “You are asking me to pick which one is my favorite child!” he laughed. And although he doesn’t pick one, he told me that there’s a dish that’s particularly emotional to him: Panuchos Yucatecos. It is a plate that inspired him due to the fact that it’s so hand crafted. He told me that he has to do the masa from scratch, cooking it on the comal (a flat mexican griddle) to the perfect temperature so it puffs up, and immediately stuff it with the black bean pure. To him, it was an amazing challenge. “Once I finished the whole dish, I actually cried. Because I felt the sense of humbleness.” The whole plate requires an elaborate process that makes him feel connected to his roots, to the origin of the Panuchos itself, back in Yucatan, Mexico.

To George, the thing that makes RG Cocina Mexicana different it’s the fact that they actually concentrate in the hospitality. He told me that is what makes a place stand out, to differentiate from the rest of the restaurants in the area. “Why do people choose to go out and pay for a dish in a restaurant instead of staying home? It’s how you feel in the place, the way we make you feel”. He teaches his staff how to approach the clients, since at the end of the day, it’s not what they do, it’s how they do it. He says that there’s a difference between customer service and hospitality. The last one has a nurturing feel to him, and you have to deal with different emotions from the clients, and approaching them from that point of view it makes them stand out. “We’re well known for our service because of that.” He’s the leader of the group and told me that he doesn’t like to push his staff, he wants to connect the dots and lead them to the same place.

And talking about the bar, he told me that he’s proud of how his bartenders incorporate the Mexican heritage to the preparations. While drinks like the Guava Jalapeño Margarita are the crowd pleasers, he likes the punch and balance of the Ginger and Lemongrass Margarita. “That drinks reminds me of Rancho Grande… And it’s new logo!”. While talking to him I realized that he’s full of passion for what he does. It’s contagious. “We like to be authentic, but genuine at the same time, sophisticated too!”. That’s the reason why the restaurant doesn’t have ponchos and  sombreros, he wanted a modern upbeat environment. He has many plans for RG Cocina Mexicana, and with the drive that he shows me while talking about the restaurant, I’m sure he’ll accomplish them all!

RG Cocina Mexicana address is 314 72nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141. Their phone number is: 305-4647404.  

Beautiful Food Served Before me, in The Form of Plato Mexicano

I live for visuals. My eyes are my most prominent feature and while people mock me because of them, I enjoy the fact that I get to see the world with huge brown eyes. I make fun of myself by saying that I have a range of view similar to a Chameleon, or that I can even see the future. But when it’s all said and done, I love being able to see the world with big bright eyes. I have the habit of looking at everything like it was brand new, to be surprised by the looks of something or twisting my head to look at things from a different angle.

It is the main reason why I carry my DSLR camera with me everywhere. It’s my passion to take photographs that can capture a moment forever, to make someone feel like he or she was there at that very second. It’s amazing to see their faces light up when the right picture just clicks with them, it makes them react to it and show me something that I want to capture too: The joy when a memory comes to mind. You can see it in the spark of their eyes, they want to be there, to form part of the image and the memory. And need of making things click between them permeates my whole life.

That’s why I have a favorite place, where I’m sure I’ll be ‘eyeing’ my lunch like it’s a work of art, and making memories with it. That restaurant is RG Cocina Mexicana. I’ve been blown away not only by the looks of the food, but by the fact that no matter where I put my eyes, there’s always something wonderful dancing  around, ready to be snapped in a picture. Whether it is the staff setting the dishes on other people’s tables, or the people smiling joyfully at their food while eating it, it’s a wonderful view to me.  I want to capture those moments of pure happiness, the seconds of intimacy between the couple sitting two tables away, the smile of a family celebrating a special occasion. Right now, I’m concentrated in the thing before me: A dish. It’s Plato Mexicano.

Today’s visual menu is full of colors: It’s a sample of Enchilada with Green salsa, Chicken with Mole Poblano salsa, Cochinita Pibil, Rajas Poblanas, Rice, Frijoles and corn Tortillas. And while you might be a little intimidated by it, I’m just eager to taste the first bit of it. The white plate with bright blue rims it’s spectacular and it showcases the food perfectly. After snapping a few pictures, I jumped in, and I can assure you, it tastes as great as it looks! If you are curious, I’ll be sharing more of them through Social Media with the hashtag: #BeautifulFoodAtRGCocinaMexicana.

RG Cocina Mexicana address is 314 72nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141. Their phone number is: 305-4647404

Queso Fundido is Here to Stay

We all have that one friend who can’t just keep quiet. The one friend that is really annoying, yet extremely lovable. You know the kind, the one you are thinking right there, you know the kind! My friend Issa can’t stop talking of something when she’s excited about it. And although I love her, sometimes I just want to put my hand over her face and scream: SHUT UP! Sometimes, those incoherences make sense to anyone. She’s a foodie, so after she kept telling me of Queso Fundido, I had to know what that was.

I sat down with her in the outside area of RG Cocina Mexicana and heard her say “You must try this, and this, and oh-my-god, this!” while pointing at random things on the menu. I have to tell you that the only reason why I was here was because she showed me a video of Queso Fundido. It looked delicious and I was afraid of asking where she got it. She’s resourceful but really, how did she got her hands on such thing? It was literally watching how it was done and from that, I can assure you that I was craving it.

The whole process of putting Monterey and Jack cheese on the cutest pan, then melting it and topping it with pico de gallo with fresh veggies and Mexican chorizo. If that doesn’t open your appetite, I don’t know what would! In fact, I must tell you that I’m telling you this with my mouth watery, I want to eat it again. But like I was saying before, that dish was breathtaking. And it was the plate in the “Pa’ empezar” part of the menu! That means in spanish “To start” and yes, that yummy dish was the first thing I ate there along with a Sangria Fresca. Then I asked for Taquitos Dorados and it was beyond me how I refrained from hugging Issa from across the table. She was absolutely right and while she is annoying by herself when she gets overly excited by something, she’s not one to recommend a place if it’s not amazing and perfect. This time I had to show her my gratitude. So for dessert we ordered Churros Mexicanos and called it a day.

I have to tell you something: I can not give her the satisfaction of saying “Thank you” because she wouldn’t shut up about it. So, we have to keep it between us, ok? And to you, I can confide this: The food was great, the staff was the nicest one I’ve met in a long time, and Issa was right, RG Cocina Mexicana has the best Queso Fundido I’ve ever had.

RG Cocina Mexicana address is 314 72nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141. Their phone number is: 305-4647404

Family Reunion for my Grandfather

My grandfather Cornelius turned 90 a few days ago, and it was the biggest event in my family since the birth of his first great grandson. I wanted to take him on a trip, but he didn’t want to be sitting inside a car for hours, and he’s terrified of planes.  That’s why along with my seven cousins, I plotted to take him in a proverbial journey through the places he wanted to visit.

The thing that I must tell you about my grandfather is that he’s a strong man. After divorcing his first wife and falling in love with my grandmother, he took in my grandmother’s kids and along with his, he formed a big family. He gave them his last name and raised them as their own, showing them that with hard work and constancy no goal was impossible to achieve. All that while managing from scratch a transportation business for companies, that’s still running, working as great as it was when he was the boss.

His will is the most important thing I’ve learned from him, to stay true to my wishes, to think big and go for it. Since I’m his favorite grandchild, it was my sacred duty to honor all those years of effort. It was important for all of us, since without him, we wouldn't be here at all! We took the planning seriously, it was our top priority.  

He’s a calm person, and we knew that taking him to places where we couldn’t talk over the sound of music was a no-no. At the end, we decided to take my grandfather to a brunch with the closest family members, after that my mom took him with her to buy his outfit for the night so he was distracted from the main surprise. At that point of the day, he got extremely suspicious, but he was grinning from ear to ear regardless.

The fact that he had a huge Mariachi Sombrero hanging on his bedroom was the hint I needed for setting up the last place of our celebration day. A family dinner at a Mexican restaurant, one that was like my grandfather: Traditional and calm. With that in mind only one place came to my mind: RG Cocina Mexicana. When I approached them, explaining the reason for my reservation, they were in with me. The staff was as excited as I was. “Turning 90 is a HUGE DEAL! We’re on it!” one of them told me, and I couldn’t agree more. I took his Sombrero from his bedroom that day, and put it on the table. When he entered the restaurant, his face was priceless. His steel blue eyes looked at us, and he opened his mouth in surprise. He even cried a little, but he wouldn’t admit it, I can assure you.

The menu they have was perfect for the night, the food was amazing, one of my aunts might had a bit too much of the cocktails. But I have to agree with her: They were delicious! And I even tried to sing my grandfather’s favorite Mexican tune, failing terribly. We had a great time. The fact that we brought his brother and his nephews was the cherry on top. It was a night to remember and I’m happy to say that RG Cocina Mexicana made it all possible with us. After this, I’m seriously considering making my parents wedding anniversary lunch there too. Maybe we’ll get my grandfather to sing his favorite songs at the event!

RG Cocina Mexicana address is 314 72nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141. Their phone number is: 305-4647404

Enjoying Life in North Miami Beach

Miami has a lot to offer, specially when you are like me: Someone who came here first as a tourist and now is residing officially. Nowadays I find myself talking about North Miami Beach to anyone who cares to listen, and sometimes, even when they seem to dismiss my presence. Why do I do this? Because I want you to fall in love with this place, like I did.

I’ve heard in the past that everything related to Miami has something to do with Spring Break and old retiring people. And while that might be what some people actually do here,but it’s not all, there is a lot more to North Miami Beach. For starters, you’d find yourself immersed in the vibrant lifestyle. And I have to tell you that if by any chance my grandmother decided to move here, she’d have to step up her game and buy a fancy scooter! The city offers lots of options for the ones who can’t stay just in one place (Like me!), that need to be running around, exploring and delighting in all the things this city has to offer.

Because when you are a newcomer like me, the place baffles you and the need to know everything is just huge. You are taken surprised by its vibe, the place is just bright and sunny, with the beach only a jump away. Also, the nightlife is great and there's no excuse to stay home and do nothing. There’s so much to discover! You need to move! If you are a tourist you can enjoy it as I can do it residing here. I’ve been spending my free days sight-seeing places as the Spanish Monastery, taking tours and lessons on Paddle Board and pampering myself from time to time at some Spa. Those are things that you can plan ahead when you plan on being a tourist for a few days, but after you visit, I guarantee you that you’d be booking your next trip here even before you leave.

However, the one thing that I’m in love with... FOOD: North Miami Beach has a wide range of choices for me to take. During my first days I refused to eat other than the usual, but I was living in a new place and I thought: I'm in a beautiful city, why should I refrain from eating great food? So I started exploring restaurants. There are many options out there, and while I like most of the places I've visited, for now I have a favorite: RG Cocina Mexicana. They offer great Mexican food with the added bonus of actually being a jump away from the beach! Their menu is modern twist on classic Mexican dishes and the cocktails make you say “Oh-my-god”. They are so refreshing! If there’s one thing you want to remember about your trip, it’s the food. At least, that’s what I want to remember the most, and I wholeheartedly recommend them to you!

RG Cocina Mexicana address is 314 72nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141. Phone number is: 305-4647404

Memorial Day Lunch with my Family.

You know what’s right across the corner? Memorial Day is next Monday! And along with my family, I’ll be doing my best to honor the brave soldiers that have fought for our great country. We’ll get together that day since the early morning to do several things that will show the new generation of my family, my nieces, the significance of this day for us. I could never think of the freedom and pride I feel for my country without remembering the millions of soldiers that have fought for us to be able to enjoy it today, and I want to pass the knowledge to them.

Whenever I think of this day the most important thing for me its to show them gratitude. There’s a million things that I could attend, but showing them how much I appreciate their efforts it’s crucial. And while some people might enjoy the noise and hassle of the celebration, I’m more of a family person, that’s why I’m glad that my mom suggested to attend various events, buy some Poppies and have lunch with my family in a place that she adores: RG Cocina Mexicana.

Ever since entering the restaurant a few months ago, she’s been talking to us about it. She told us how the food made her roll her eyes back, how it was the best plate of Taco Salad she’d ever had. I have to admit that she picked my curiosity with that. We’re both foodies and I had to know. So I’ve ordered several times for lunch with their Delivery Service, but to be honest, I prefer having my food served right after being taken out of the stove, so I’m taking this chance to know the place that she loves so much. I am sure that the place is as great as she describes it, so I know I’ll be loving them too!

Besides, right after that I’m sure we'll be strolling by the beach as a family. That’s the biggest bonus of the place for me: According to my mom, they have the beach right around the corner! And there’s no better way to end a perfect meal than to stroll by the beach with people you hold dear, showing my nieces the greatness of our country and the beauty of the sea.

Visit them at 314 72nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141! Their phone number is: 305-4647404.

Celebrating my Hero With RG Comida

Mexicana For Father’s Day!

There’s a whole side of our family that we’d have the joy to honor this upcoming month. They are every girl’s first love, and every boy’s first hero. Father’s day is an occasion to remind us the importance of family, and I’m going to do it at RG Cocina Mexicana. I’m going to take my hero on a journey with mexican traditional and modern style, and show him my love through their menu. Because my dad and I don’t often see eye to eye, but with food we’re always on the same page with only one word in mind: Delicious!

Give him a surprise and take your dad to a great restaurant, and let them do all the work. It’s a special day and I just want to focus on celebrating with him, on showing praise through the company of his sons and daughter, of his wife and all the ones that love him dearly, and there’s no better way of doing that than through great food. My main goal is making him enjoy our company, without the distraction of cooking by myself or running to get something at the last possible second. I leave it in their hands, and I’m just going to sit back and focus on making memories that would last a lifetime with my Daddy. You could enjoy quality time with your father with RG Cocina Mexicana, too!

Visit them at 314 72 nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141! Their phone number is: 305-4647404.

How About Roasted Rack of Lamb?

Some plates call you, they invite you to take a bite and just get carried away in the moment. Today that happened to me. I could not look away from my plate and it was starting to feel like romantic music would suddenly blare out of nowhere and I’d be caught in a compromising position with a Roasted Rack of Lamb. Honestly, I couldn't care less.

I was aware that my date was feeling left out, but how could I not admire the beauty of this dish? This was the food version of a summer fling: A week’s special. My mind was reeling, it could not end up so quickly! The smell was delicious, the perfect combination of the lamb with Pomegranate and Tamarind sauce, sauté fingerling potatoes and radish. This was no ordinary moment, I had to savor it. Enjoy it while it lasted. After all, it might be the last time my eyes crossed with this beauty, and I had to make every moment count.

Raising my glass I proposed a toast: For the amazing food! And for my date, of course. Because without her, I would have never drove to the other side of town to get mexican food. Maybe this was as promising as this restaurant, that was now topping my list.

314 72^nd ST, Miami Beach, Florida, 33141

My Wife Threatened me And RG Cocina Mexicana Came to my Rescue.

There are some things that are absolutely true, there’s no way around those, no matter how hard you try. Some of them are: Women are dangerous. More so when they are stunningly beautiful, and smart. And specially when carrying your child. You see, because pregnant ladies are freaking scary when the cravings hit them. Last night was one of those nights where my wife was having intense cravings, I could see the signs, and I was afraid.

“Babe, I want Mexican food. Can we go get some?” she pleaded in that tone that was commanding, yet full of love. I often wondered how on earth did she fall in love with me? I was such a lucky man. And now, I had to prove my worth as her loved one, but I was so tired. I told her that maybe tonight we could order some take-out, enjoy our company and all that. She frowned and told me that she didn’t want those awful copies of Mexican, she wanted the real thing. To be honest, I had no clue of what she was talking about. To me it’s all just food! So, I tried to convince her to change her mind because, what’s real Mexican anyways? Maybe she wanted something else, not specifically Mexican food?

“You know that I love you, but I could murder you if I don’t get Mexican food. Right. Now.” She stated, and I had to move quickly. Suddenly I remembered the place where I took her to one of our first dates. They had changed the name, that much I knew, but I had great memories of the place, and I hoped the food was just as great as back then. It was the traditional Mexican food, the real thing my wife wanted. RG Cocina Mexicana was a far drive from home, but I guessed that maybe if I called and ordered, they could have it ready by the time I arrived, so it was just pick up and I could head back home quickly.

But to my surprise, after I explained the person that picked up my call what I wanted to do, he told me that they had Delivery Service. I honestly had no idea that they had that service, but I was happy regardless. So we ordered, and when food arrived, I could see the joy in her face. It grew wider after I told her the place where I got it from. She was moved by that, I still remembered that place, it was the same restaurant where I told her I was falling in love with her quickly back then. Where we first kissed, we had history with them.

We sat by the table and the food looked terrific, we couldn’t wait to try it. It was delicious, full of flavor, definitely the real thing she wanted to eat. She ate most of hers and took bites out of mine. She smiles on her face was enough for me. But the real heroes needed the recognition: I had to give all the credit to the people from RG Cocina Mexicana, for having Delivery. My wife was going to murder me if I didn’t get her what she wanted, and thanks to them, I could see the next day. Until she got another one of those crazy cravings, that is.

You can find them at 314 72nd  ST, Miami Beach, FL 331141, their number is: 305-4647404.

I Found Home, Away From Home

The day I decided to leave my country I knew what I would miss the most: The food. I’ve been traveling around the world for most of my adult life. Being an Aviation Engineer that specializes on Helicopters isn’t easy, I have been to Canada, Italy, France and Brazil in the past few years. And now my company posted me in Miami.

 The mexican culture is spread out around the globe, so you can eat tamales pretty much everywhere yet, I always found myself nostalgic over my mother’s food. She’s an excellent cook, and my family used to sit down around a big table to eat what she made, enjoying the company, making memories. And now, a million miles away from her, I was seriously homesick. The fact that most of the Mexican restaurants I visited were imitations of traditional food didn’t help out at all. When I was close to giving up and breaking up in front of my mom through video call, I found RG Cocina Mexicana.

 I was just over Miami North Beach and it just caught my eye. It was lunch hour and I thought: Why not? After all, the worst that could happen was another disappointment. The moment I walked in I knew this place wasn’t like the others. It was calm, yet still had the Mexican vibe that I was looking for. I sat down, and ordered a drink. While drinking my Guava and Jalapeño Margarita, I saw the staff walking around with the plates. They were inviting, and the aroma was something I couldn't explain. It felt right, like a piece clicking into place. At this point the waiter came and I asked him for the most “homey” plate. He smiled and said “I’ll bring you something that would make you feel at home”.

When I had the first bite of the plate, I knew. It was somehow different from the traditional, but also made me feel like I was surrounded by my family in the big table of my Mexican home. I don’t know how they did it, but suddenly, I wasn’t miles away from the Mexico DF. My mom was right next to me, telling me “Ay, mijo”. Ever since that day, I just couldn’t resist going to RG Comida Mexicana when I feel nostalgic.

314 72nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141

305-8647404

How my curiosity for RG Cocina Mexicana ended up landing me the love of my life. 

I don't usually go out for mexican food, but I had to give RG Cocina Mexicana a chance since a colleague of mine recommended it wholeheartedly. He was close to driving me insane by talking about it every time I mentioned I was hungry, which is constantly, if you must know. He even took the time to show me the Facebook page and tell me about his favorite dishes from the menu. Curiosity won and I was hungry, so, why not take his word? So, I called a friend and soon enough we were on our way to the restaurant.

While on route, I browsed its social media again, and I also checked their Yelp reviews. I was promised an excellent experience, the food in the pictures looked amazing too, so it set my expectation bar pretty high. And after all, a business that’s been open since 1992 can only be there because it must be great. When I told my friend that, she laughed. She said we had to judge ourselves, and that if it was as nice as augured, we would leave them a great review too. I had already chosen what I wanted to eat, right out of their pictures. The Tamales looked amazing in pictures, would them be as amazing in person?  

Let's talk about the place!

My friend and I were surprised to find a place that promised me something besides the stereotype of the Mexican place I’m used to see around Miami. The environment was cozy and comfortable. It gave you the feeling of not-your-average-mexican-place. I'm going to be honest with you, my whole life I’ve been a fan of eating in calm places, no one wants their hearts to be thumping and glasses tinkling in the table while eating with sharp objects near our faces. That was a great plus for me.

We entered and right away we were meet by the staff of RG Cocina Mexicana. The attention so far was amazing. We ordered our food and and cocktails. The drink was delicious and I couldn't wait to get the rest of our meal. If it was as nice as what I just had, this place was all that my colleague promised and more. When I saw the waiter approaching us with two steaming plates, I was already jumping up and down my chair.

After the plate was set, I looked at it for the first time like it was the love of my life. There, resting on a bed of banana leaves there were my fresh Tamales, topped with green and red salsa, presented for me like a marvelous thing. My nose was instantly filled with the wonderful aroma of the Tamales, and I was smiling ear to ear. My previous experience with this plate had not been nice. I used to frown upon the idea of eating them, but this ones looked so good that I couldn't wait to taste them. And taking a picture, especially since whenever you eat on this age if the food looks good you have to show your friends. I post it on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. I took a Snap with my grinning face as I’m about to put a fork through it.

When I had the first bite, it was breathtaking. The wonderful flavour of corn filled with shredded beef filled my tonsils, and I knew what I had to do next. You see, I hadn't even finished my plate of Tamales, when I was already planning when my next visit would be, and texting my friends, because they NEED to taste this. I could not withhold this information, they had to know. If I kept it from them, it would be treason! And besides, since I got the word from a colleague, I must could pass it on. It was my duty!

So I kept on eating, savoring every bite like glorious communion of classic and modern. I could tell this wasn’t an average plate of Tamales. I had tasted some previously, and they weren’t even close to the one I had in front of me. There I was, twirling the morsel I had pinched in the fork around the plate, since I wanted to get all the salsa possible on every single bite. When I emptied the plate, it was a sad moment for me. It had ended already. My romance with the Tamales was over… For now. After dessert, we had to leave. Work had to be done. Not that we wanted to do anything but to bask in the afterglow of amazing food.

When we left, I looked at my friend intently, grinning, and she smiled right back at me. I could see that she’d had a wonderful time too, and we had a job to do before we walked back into our routine: Leave a review on Yelp and share it. I already knew what my hashtags would be: #AmazingTamales #RGCocinaMexicana.