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There’s a certain type of Spanish restaurant that we’re lucky to have in Miami. These aren’t places serving modernist foams and gels or teeny trendy tapas. We’re talking old school Spanish cooking—crocks of porky stews, garlicky rice dishes, meat n’ taters, and rich desserts named after Catholic saints—all enjoyed leisurely over wine. And one of Miami’s best examples of this type of restaurant is Coral Way’s Xixón.
You have options here, to say the least. The menu features 138 dishes. But rather than overwhelm, the size of the menu just gives this place even more versatility. And you can confidently come here whether you're looking for an extravagant meal of foie gras and tender octopus or trying to eat alone at the bar with crisp fried potatoes and a glass of wine.
You could visit Xixón a dozen times without ever making it past the first few pages of appetizers and tapas—and we don’t blame you. Xixón makes some of our favorite croquetas in Miami, a velvety gazpacho, and features a wide selection of Spanish charcuterie and cheeses. The entrees tend to be enormously portioned and very filling—especially the paellas, which require two or more hungry people to finish. But there are also smaller entrees that are serious showstoppers, like the cazuela of gulas sizzling in a garlicky pool of olive oil or a haunch of roast suckling pig (hoof still attached) with super crunchy crackling.
If the menu takes you 15 minutes to read, don’t panic. There is no pressure to order right away. Xixón takes the Spanish custom of enjoying a leisurely meal very seriously. Servers almost urge you to take your time and seem embarrassed if you rush out too soon. It’s a charmingly vintage experience. The waiter may refer to you as a gentleman (caballero) or lady (dama), and any young diner in your party may be called the little prince/princess (el principito/princesita). Think of the endearing-bordering-on-sassy service you get at a Cuban cafeteria, but add more pomp and circumstance.
Xixón even features a souvenir shop. At least that’s what we like to call their Spanish deli and market at the front of the restaurant where you can pick up slices of jamón ibérico, chorizo cantimpalo, olive oil, cookies, and smoked paprika. There is also a sunken wine cellar where you can have a tremenda fiesta, or just browse before selecting a bottle of wine for dinner. If it's a day when the heat and humidity don’t require a mid-meal costume change, you can also opt to sit in the covered patio, featuring thick hedges that shield you from the traffic on Coral Way. They also host flamenco shows on Thursdays and live guitarists on Fridays, which will make you really feel like you’re in a Spanish tavern.
Compared to the dinner menu, dessert will be a slightly easier decision, with a mere 18 options to choose from. Xixón has Spanish standards like crema catalana and a homey rice pudding, along with seasonal cakes like a roscón de reyes for Three Kings Day. Pick one, twirl the dessert spoon in your hand, and notice that the staff still isn’t rushing you out. That’s because it’s time to partake in the Spanish custom of sobremesa—a term used to describe that final lap of the meal, when everyone’s still lingering at the table discussing current events, whether the Dolphins will actually be good this year, or simply how lucky we all are to live in a city with such great Spanish food.