If you haven’t been you need to!

If you are not familiar with the citadel, it is a well-rounded destination for great restaurant lovers, music listeners, and avid shoppers. I have recently moved to Miami, about 7 minutes away from their location in Miami Shores, and the first time I visited, I was impressed with the inclusivity they had going on with the local vendors/restaurants. Despite many critics and topics on gentrifications of Little Haiti, I must say, if you are an entrepreneur living or doing business in the area, this is a perfect opportunity to attain a broader audience, but hey, to which his own!

So what is so special about The Citadel? There are varieties of reasons why many folks find The Citadel a great hot spot. For me, it is the food. I know, I know! I am supposed to be on a diet (which I will talk about in a different post). I have found my two favorites restaurants inside the food hall at The Citadel: Lil’ Laos and Manjay. Manjay was the first restaurant I tried because they are Haitians.

You already know I will support my own before anything else, and boy, they did not disappoint! I am so happy to see them going strong inside the food hall against the other restaurants who have come and go (especially since COVID, a few restaurants left the court).

“The food is great at the Citadel but boy if you don’t know how to handle a breakup, don’t get too attached to a restaurant in the food court! Some of them do not last!”

Anonymous Review

Last week, my roomie and I went to The Citadel for brunch and noticed a new restaurant on the far right of Manjay named Lil’ Laos. We looked at each other and said, “meh! Let’s give it a try.” I will tell you I am glad we tried it. They are Laotians (Laos, east of Thailand) and have the same spice that I adore to have in my food. I am an avid traveler and have had my share of ethnic cuisine, and having a little bit of Laotian food in Little Haiti is the perfect fit!

Now, I am not trying to influence your decision as to which restaurants you should try. The Citadel has over 12 different restaurants, from bakery options to finger food and trying a full meal option. The decision rest in your pocket and stomach! Laughs. Since I now live close to that location, I can assure you, I will be a returning eater haha. Lil Laos’ owner already recognizes my face when I go in and greats me with a “Hey, you’re back!” So, when you visit the restaurants, get familiar with the owners or cashiers. It helps to know the person you’re trusting your stomach with.

The Citadel Media Preview By Fuji film Girl

Until next time foodies,

Lafrance