Celebrate Christmas With Dos Croquetas' Fried Deliciousness

Miami celebrates Christmas in its own unique fashion.

Instead of clinking glasses of eggnog, we toast with coquito. Our Santa wears Bermuda shorts and is guided by eight flamingos — which actually make more sense than reindeer. The Magic City also has Santa's Enchanted Forest, which is beyond explanation to anyone up North.

And now, Dos Croquetas is introducing a new Miami holiday tradition: The 12 Days of Croquetas.

Croqueta Bar partner Alec Fernandez wants to go all out for the holidays. "There's no way I wasn't going to go hard for Christmas," he says.

The café is decorated with holiday accents all day, but at night, something really special happens. "We turn off the lights except for the icicles and the snow projector," he says.

Fernandez has also created a special holiday menu.

Items available through Christmas include a gingerbread-man shake and a peppermint chocolate chip shake ($7.99 each); an extra-thick hot chocolate ($3.99); churros with Nutella, guava, or condensed milk ($4.99); and a medianoche croqueta, filled with roast pork, sweet ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard and coated in toasted medianoche breadcrumbs ($1.99 each).

Croqueta Bar also offers two boozy slushies. The Jack Frost and the Jingle Juice are made with vodka and cost $9 each.

Beginning Thursday, December 12, Croqueta Bar will count down the 12 Days of Croquetas by offering a treat, freebie, or discount to each customer. "Every day we're doing something fun to give back to the community," Fernandez says. "One day we'll give free colada shots or BOGO shakes. We'll offer different, fun things to keep the party going.

Croqueta Bar is also hosting a toy drive in partnership with the Edge Charitable Foundation, so be sure to bring an unwrapped toy to drop in the box through Friday, December 13.

And in case you were wondering, Croqueta Bar will be open Christmas Day, though the hours aren't set yet. "We'll probably open in the afternoon so we can have the morning with family," Fernandez says. He adds that he'll be working on the holiday along with any of his staffers who want to work that day. "It's a holiday, so it's completely up to my staff if anyone wants to work, but we'll enjoy the day alongside each other."

Croqueta Bar by Dos Croquetas. 10505 Bird Rd., Miami; 786-464-0299; doscroquetas.com.