Cabana El Rey

by South Florida Eats · November 19, 2023

Cabana El Rey (Nuevo Latino): 105 E Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444

We were looking to get together with our friends Kevin and Tony on a Sunday for lunch. Kevin recommended a place that they both request and love the food at, Cabana El Rey, located in Delray Beach’s downtown district. We hopped at the opportunity to see our friends and try out a new restaurant that neither of us had been to before.

The Restaurant:

Cabana El Rey is located on the corner of E Atlantic Blvd and NE 1st Ave. in downtown Delray Beach. It’s pretty much the heart of all the various restaurants. The next time you are in the area, you might want to make a note of the other restaurants you might want to check out. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating. Depending on the weather, I highly recommend sitting outside to enjoy a nice breeze and all the people-watching that you can do as you socialize with your dinner companions.

Inside, you will find a very large bar area with plenty of seating and various sizes of tables and chairs for the dining guests to sit at. Outside is a nice-sized covered area of tables and chairs for two or four. These can be combined to make room for larger groups.

Appetizers:

Cabana El Rey has a large assortment of appetizers on their menu. You will find everything from Ceviche, multiple shrimp-based appetizers, tostones rellenos, and black bean soup to a sampler platter for two. My mouth was watering just at the thought of what we might order.

In the end, the group ordered the Tapas De Gambas, or a 1/4 lb of medium black tiger shrimp sauteed in garlic rueda wine demiglace, served with Cuban pressed garlic bread. I also ordered an empanadas jamaiquinas, a spicy beef turnover, so I could try it. All four of us were in heaven with the shrimp and fought over who would get the last one. The empanada was also delicious, and the jerk-style seasoning added a different take on this traditional beefy treat.

In the end I don’t think that you could go wrong with any of the appetizers. I can’t wait to go back and try something new.

Main Dishes Cabana El Rey:

Mike and I both ordered the same main entree. We chose to go with Cabana El Rey’s Parrillada. This perfectly prepared mixed grill platter included a grilled chicken breast marinated with Latin spices, Churrasco, Longaniza sausage, Spanish chorizo, and Morcilla (or blood sausage). The different types of meat and spices made for an explosion of flavors as we both devoured our plates like true carnivores. This was the perfect choice for our first meal, and I highly recommend it. Remember thous that this also comes with black beans and rice. I also ordered a side of plantains since they are one of my favorites.

Kevin decided he would order the Paella Marinera. This is Cabana El Rey’s version of a traditional paella, made with shrimp, octopus, calamari, scallops, clams, and mussels simmered with saffron and garlic in a caldera of Valencia rice. If you don’t think that is enough food, add a lobster tale for just $18 more. This is one of his favorite dishes at the restaurant, and Kevin didn’t waste any time delving into its deliciousness. He offered us all a sample as there was more than enough for one person.

Last but not least, Tony went with the Mariscadas. A perfect mix of shrimp, clams, mussels, seas scallops, and salmon simmered in a tomato garlic broth. Let’s just say that there is so much seafood in here that you almost don’t need a sauce to go with it. The seasoning has a nice Latin flair to the dish, bringing out the best in each type of seafood included. He was in heaven as he ate bite after bite, only to end up taking half of it home from being full.