[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10816]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      CONGRATULATING VERSAILLES RESTAURANT ON ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 11, 2011

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, this week a true Miami landmark 
celebrates its 40th anniversary.
  Versailles restaurant has been a beloved institution in my South 
Florida community for decades.
  Felipe Valls, Sr., opened Versailles in 1971.
  From the very beginning, Versailles has been a family affair.
  Early on, his son, Felipe Valls, Jr., bussed tables and worked with 
maintenance crews after school.
  From these humble beginnings, Versailles has become a franchise with 
restaurants throughout Miami, Doral and even Pembroke Pines.
  The secret to Versailles' success has been its family-oriented 
atmosphere and its simplicity.
  Its menu of traditional Cuban cuisine has enriched the cultural 
palate of South Florida.
  From ropa vieja to its house-made fried plantains and yes, even its 
famed ``cafecito,'' Versailles has become a culinary delight for its 
patrons.
  Versailles allowed many Cuban-Americans to reconnect with their 
heritage.
  For countless Cuban exiles, Versailles is much more than a 
restaurant.
  It is a tangible piece of what they left behind when they fled 
Castro's gulag.
  As a Cuban-American, I know the cultural and emotional link 
Versailles has with so many members of our community.
  Versailles is a place where the Cuban community can come together and 
discuss topics as far ranging as politics, sports or the latest gossip 
or ``chisme.''
  But Versailles has also become a destination for individuals from all 
backgrounds.
  Its status as a cultural landmark has brought politicians, artists 
and celebrities of all stripes to its doors.
  Today the Valls family is celebrating 40 years of Versailles.
  Despite all their success, family is still the most important 
component in their lives.
  It is also the reason why Versailles resonates with so many members 
of my community.
  It reflects the love and devotion the Valls family has for one 
another and their community.
  I congratulate Felipe Valls and the entire Valls family on this 
milestone.

                          ____________________