To enter Emelina is to step inside a dream—not one defined by the fantastical but carved from amplified reality.
At this intimate restaurant, which recently opened in West Palm Beach, husband-and-wife chefs Osmel González and Camila Salazar present the Cuba they “dare to dream.” Named for González’s grandmother, Emelina is an exercise in speculative cuisine, grounded in the chefs’ outstanding pedigree and reverence for locally sourced, sustainable ingredients.
“Here, guests will not find traditional Cuban cuisine, but rather our interpretation of its memory—the essence of its flavors reimagined through technique and knowledge shaped by experience,” says González, who was born in Cuba and earned both a Michelin star and a Michelin green star for responsible sourcing for his Miami pop-up, EntreNos, with chef Evan Burgess. “It is a dialogue between past and present: the soul of Cuban flavors preserved, yet expressed with the precision, care, and artistry of fine dining. The elegance of service, the beauty of high-end cuisine, and above all, the emotions carried by the flavors remain at the center of the experience.”
Emelina is the first non-Japanese venture from Miami-based APM Restaurant Group, but it is informed by the same principles of mindful hospitality, attention to detail, and sensitivity found at Álvaro Perez Miranda’s other restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Ogawa, Hiyakawa, and Midorie. Emelina hosts two seatings nightly (Tuesday through Saturday), welcoming no more than 16 guests at a chefs’ counter and two tables.
While the menu evolves with the seasons, patrons can expect a multicourse tasting experience that is a master class in textural intrigue, artistic composition, and subtly electric flavors. One such dish is Minuta, González’s culinary encapsulation of sun-filled beach days, conveyed through tempura-fried black drum, refried tomato, and fried egg emulsion. Another is Rabo Encendido, his loving rendition of a slow-cooked Cuban favorite, featuring braised oxtail, Carolina Gold rice, tamarind jus, and pickled daikon…