[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 313]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



             A TRIBUTE TO CASA LARIOS AND THE LARIOS FAMILY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 6, 1999

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Quintin 
and Maria Teresa Larios. The owners and operators of some of the best 
Cuban restaurants in the United States, Casa Larios, Larios on the 
Beach and Bongos Cuban Cafe.
  I believe that Quintin and Maria Teresa typify the dream of so many 
who spend countless hours working hard in the food service industry--to 
open their own restaurant.
  The Larios came to the United States in 1973, after first fleeing 
Cuba and then living in Spain, and their culinary skills expertly 
reflect their Cuban heritage. The couple worked in the restaurant 
business in Miami for 12 years, gaining valuable experience before 
embarking on their own venture.
  Casa Larios opened in 1988, and in the tradition of Cuban 
restaurants, Maria Teresa worked out front with the customers while 
Quintin took over the kitchen as chief.
  As its popularity has grown, the Larios expanded by opening a 
location in South Beach as well as Disney Downtown in Orlando. The 
popular vocal artist, Gloria Estefan, liked Casa Larios so much that 
she and her husband, Cuban-American entrepreneur Emilio Estefan, joined 
the Larios in the ownership of the South Beach and Orlando locations, 
Larios on the Beach and Bongos Cuban Cafe.
  When Casa Larios outgrew its original location on West Flagler Street 
in Miami earlier this summer and moved a few blocks down the street, 
the Larios gave interested customers pieces of the memorabilia 
depicting the republican era in Cuba (1902-1959) from newspapers on the 
restaurant's walls.
  We feel very fortunate to have such excellent cuisine in South 
Florida and I congratulate Maria Teresa and Quintin on their well-
deserved, extraordinary success.

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