18 December 18-24, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ DORAL CACHAPAS IF YOU CAN! If you ever needed proof that Miami’s magic doesn’t just live in gleaming dining rooms or million-dollar build-outs, here it is: a humble yellow food truck parked in the middle of Doral just made the New York Times’ list of the 23 Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S. in 2025. Out of the dozens (if not hundreds) of restaurants visited by Times writers and editors this year, Frank Cachapas, a late-night, corn-cake-slinging gem at 8645 NW 61st St., claimed a spot on one of the most prestigious culinary lists in America. And the dish? The cachapa. The molten, overflowing, queso-de-mano-stuffed cachapa Venezuelans grow up loving, and the rest of us sprint to Doral for the second some- one mentions it. A Venezuelan cachapa is a sweet, thick pancake made from fresh, ground corn kernels, often blended with milk and sugar, cooked on a griddle (budare), and traditionally folded over a generous slice of salty, melty cheese, such as queso de mano, a fresh Venezuelan cheese. At Frank’s, New York Times critic Brett An- derson couldn’t help himself. In his write-up, he declares: “You don’t need to try all ten cachapas on the menu to believe you’ll be sat- isfied regardless of which you choose. All fea- ture Frank Cachapas’s exemplary, hot-from-the-griddle corn cakes and an ooz- ing portion of queso de mano, a fresh Venezu- elan cheese. Relax and enjoy yours at one of the many shaded tables in the parking lot out- side this food truck. The service bests what’s found at many brick-and-mortar restaurants.” Honestly? Same. Anyone who has sat at one of those plastic tables, under the glow of the truck’s lights and the hum of Doral traffic, knows Frank’s cachapas hit with a level of cheesy, corny joy that can only be described as deliciousness done right. Venezuelan families swear by the original “Cachapa No.9,” loaded with queso de mano. Others say the patacón with sweet plantain, thick slabs of cheese, and juicy chicken is nearly as life-changing. Kids crush slices from Frank’s second on-site pizza truck, while adults order rounds of tequeños and empanadas like they’re breathing. However, the cachapa is the true star. Frank’s cachapas are the kind of dish worth driving to Doral for, worth waiting in line for, and worth telling the New York Times about. So when you get there, here’s what to order: “Cachapa No. 10:” If there’s a dish that de- fines Frank Cachapas, it’s “Cachapa No. 10,” a molten, irresistible tower of corn, cheese, and pure Venezuelan comfort. Silky crema, warm queso de mano, and a pile of shredded cheese melt into every fold of the gigantic corn pan- cake. Each bite is juicy, savory, and just sweet enough from the fresh-ground corn to make your eyes close on instinct. It’s so rich and satisfying, you will wonder why no other dish on Earth tastes quite like this. “Cachapa No. 6:” The perfect order if you believe a cachapa should come with a little protein. The carne mechada inside is unbe- lievably tender, soaking up the sweetness of the corn like it was meant to be there all along. It’s layered with queso de mano, nata, and queso rallado. It’s rich in the way only real Venezuelan nata can be. Buttery, tangy, and lush with every bite, it strikes that rare balance of sweet corn and savory cheese. “Cachapa No. 2:” This cachapa comes with a side of crispy, fried pork pieces. The flavors are rich and savory, leaving many customers coming back for more. At Frank Cachapas, every bite is juicy, cheesy, sweet, savory, and wildly satisfying. Now the rest of the country is finally catching on. Frank Cachapas. 8645 NW 61st St., Doral; 754-317-3435; instagram.com/frankcachapas. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR ▼ KEY BISCAYNE PUTTIN’ ON THE FEEDBAG The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne just pulled off the kind of glow-up Miami loves. After a $100 million top-to-bottom transformation, the iconic beachfront escape has reopened with a brand-new lineup of restaurants and dessert shops this December that will certainly get tourists, Key Biscayne residents, and Miami diners buzzing. Just in time for the holidays, the resort is unveiling six brand-new con- cepts, including one very well-known local fa- | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Frank Cachapas photo The New York Times tapped the Venezuelan cachapas from Frank Cachapas as one of the best dishes in the nation in 2025. Follow Us Where the Mainstream Misses, We Deliver
