Noches de Fabrika

Miami's Resident Internationalist

By John Hood

It's late Saturday night. A club is raftered with Colombians, Venezuelans, Argentines, and Bolivians. There are also Cubans, primarily born in Florida. And there's a smattering of Italians. Pepper the crowd with a fistful of Yanks and then stir.

That's the stew. It could be La Paz; it could be Caracas; it could be Bogotá before the wars or Buenos Aires under Perón. But it isn't. It's Doral, a 6-year-old city that takes its name from its developers (Doris and Alfred Kaskel) and its cue from its famous golf resort and spa.

Out in that city sits a joint called La Covacha. For the past five years, it has been the go-to place for expat Latin Americans looking to live a more hometown-style high life on any given Saturday night. The party that brings 'em in is called Fábrika, and it indeed represents the very fabric of these lives.

Spinning the frenzy is DJ Pauer, half of the same-named firm behind the bash (his partner in the project is photographer Claudia Calle). Born on the Caribbean in Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela, and living in Miami for 16 years, Pauer has handled the party's spinning since its '01 inception. Before it landed at La Covacha, Fábrika held forth at a succession of venues, including I/O, PS14, and Hard Rock; it even enjoyed satellite status at places such as White Room. But out in West Miami-Dade is where Fábrika has found its home.

Read the full profile here.

For years this restaurant has been moonlighting on weekends as one of Miami's wildest places for a Latin music descarga. The main room features Latin-flavored techno music, and its outdoor patio packs a throng of sweaty and well-dressed partiers. Or escape to the air-conditioned, glass-enclosed VIP room.

• Hours: Thu 7am-2am, Fri-Sat 7am-4pm, Sun-Wed 7am-7pm

  Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining

• Entertainment: Live Entertainment

  Reservations: Accepted