In their Kendall office, brothers Lazaro and Jose Garcia, long-time Miami restaurateurs, click through photographs on their computer of battered seaside buildings in Cuba.

''Look at how those things are propping up the buildings,'' said Jose Garcia, pointing to the scaffolding of a salt-worn facade on Havana's picturesque Malecón.

The brothers, who have managed some of South Florida's most successful Cuban restaurant chains, carefully chose the images for the walls of their latest venture, Casavana Cuban Cuisine, in Homestead. Besides subtle accents reminiscent of a Cuban hacienda, the photos are perhaps the only visual vestige of the old-style Cuban cafeterias, where the Garcias cut their teeth in the business.

Gone are the open-air prep stations where, at many Cuban restaurants, sandwich makers can be seen hacking at large hams and slathering mustard on media noches. The kitchen, also usually open, has been quietly tucked away to mute the clanging of dishes and the scent of fried pork and garlic.

The Garcias are banking that the new look, coupled with the same low prices, will appeal to second- and third-generation Cuban Americans who want to feast on traditional ethnic eats in an environment akin to the chain restaurants to which they've grown accustomed.

''If Chili's can do it with tortillas, we can do it with palomillas,'' Jose Garcia said.

Casavana in Homestead is the newest in a collection of four restaurants owned and managed by the brothers since 1998. Three, formerly operated under the name Sergio's, are being relaunched under the Casavana concept.

Using lessons learned from once managing Pollo Tropical, the brothers hope to reach a similar level of popularity and brand recognition by making simple, substantive changes in their stores.

''It's a notch above the mom-and-pops in the quality of food,'' Lazaro Garcia said.

Under their watch, Pollo Tropical went public in 1993 and grew to more than 50 restaurants. During the 1980s, the duo helped expand the original Latin American Restaurant & Cafeteria from one store to six in three years.

When Pollo Tropical was sold in 1998, the brothers, looking for a new venture they could similarly build, formed a partnership with Blanca Cabrera when they bought a 49 percent share in the bustling Sergio's diner on Coral Way and Southwest 32nd Avenue. Within six years, they had opened three more stores under the Sergio's brand.

Kevin Moll, CEO of Denver-based National Restaurant Consultants, said ethnic restaurants like Casavana and Sergio's were enjoying above average growth compared to the 6 percent rate of the industry overall. But in a market saturated with similar restaurants, Moll said success depends heavily on branding and packaging, or how the restaurant looks and feels.

''That can include some real basic, shockingly straightforward things like clean and effective signage, consistent colors, effective use of branding throughout, professional menus,'' Moll said. ``That professional image, especially in the front of the house, makes guests feel they are going to receive a consistently good experience.''

REWARDING MANAGERS

The brothers say giving hand-picked store managers a stake in the business -- from 20 percent to 40 percent -- in addition to their salary has been key to their success. Although this structure means sharing profits, it gives owners more autonomy than a typical franchise to respond to their customers and boost sales, Lazaro Garcia said.