La Bodeguita de Mima Cuban Restaurant and Rum Bar is a mouthful. But then, everything about this place is larger than life, from the portions to the physical building. A baby blue 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is parked next to a mural of a smoking cigar that you can almost smell (or maybe it was the smoke from the cigar lounge in the back), all while Cuban music leaks out like sweat from your abuelo’s forehead after dancing cha cha cha. And you’re not even inside yet.

Was I really in Kentucky? Rigo, our waiter extraordinaire, swore we were. He explained that Louisville was the fastest-growing Cuban community. Forty-five thousand strong, according to his estimation, which might be a little inflated, but, I mean, he’s Cuban; we tend to exaggerate.

And at the same time, we tend to be brutally honest. Rigo also told us how much rent he pays for a spacious home in Jefferson County compared to the tiny efficiency in Hialeah, FL, where he first landed after arriving from Cuba. He also told us he exclusively drinks Bourbon because he lost his taste for rum.

Since leaving Miami in 2015, I’ve been on a search for the best Cuban food across the country. There was Porto’s in Los Angeles, Buena Gente in Atlanta, Cuba Libra in DC, and so many others in between, but I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that La Bodeguita de Mima is the BEST Cuban meal I’ve had outside of Miami.

We started with the Cubanachos, think loaded nachos, but instead of tortilla chips they use mariquitas and heap a generous amount of ropa vieja over it. I had arroz imperial, and my wife had a vegetarian tamal, and we shared the BEST — again, I’m not exaggerating — flan. It rivaled my mother-in-law’s recipe only because they serve it with a scoop of coconut ice cream that has pieces of dried pineapple. My only disappointment was that they did not have Jupiña, but, honestly, I was one soda can away from diabetes.

If you go:

La Bodeguita is located at 725 E Market St in Louisville, KY, next to the AC Hotel Louisville Downtown. We parked in the hotel’s garage, which is complimentary with a special password that only the restaurant hostess can give you, like a chisme.

The restaurant is open 7 days, starting at 5pm and as early as noon Friday-Sunday

See the full menu here: labodeguitademima.com