79. Croquetas at El Floridita

Lee Klein | March 7, 2011 | 9:20am

As we count down to New Times' Best of Miami 2011 in June, Short Order will serve up 100 of our favorite dishes in the 305 in random order. If you have any nominations of your own, please send them to cafe@miaminewtimes.com. After the jump, find our other choices.

79. Croquetas at El Floridita

Daniel and Barbara Mejia have been serving some of the city's best croquetas at their friendly family-run El Floridita Seafood Restaurant on Bird Road for over ten years (and doing likewise at their 5-year old Kendall location). One type of croqueta is plumped with deliciously smoky ham (4 for $5.95), another is culled from end pieces of the day's daily catch (6 for $6.95). A light bechamel sauce binds both. These captivating cylinders are not fried in the morning and placed under a heat lamp all day, but get cooked by-the-order. And while you're in the cozy confines of El Floridita, might as well stick around for the three-course-and-coffee lunch deal for $9.95.

100 Favorite Dishes:

80. Chicken Salad at Manhattan Cafe

81. Organic Chicken and Sundried Tomato Panini at BLT Steak

82. Tuna Nicoise at The Royal

83. Cubi-Thai Sampler Plate

84. Chicken Chili Con Queso at Deli Lane Cafe

85. Lemon Meringue Cake at Ice Box

86. Fig Pizza at Kokopo Fresh Kitchen

87. Poulet Rouge at Cecconi's
88. Grilled Scallops with Pickled Plum at Zuma

89. Garnachos at Taqueria el Mexicano

90. Pancakes at Sky Grille in Miami Tower

91. Tuna Ceviche at Sushi Samba