The Superiority of Tampa's Cuban Sandwich

i'm just sayin'...and so is NPR!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/04/25/151357876/the-cuban-sandwich-crisis-has-a-winner-tampa

Well, it's fundamentally invalid to decide historical fact by reference to a poll, but in this case the result was correct.

In the dusty history of this Board and its predecessors I shared some efforts in establishing Tampa as the Cuban's home many years ago. The correspondence included Andy Huse (the Tampa historian and USF librarian who is like a lesser ReneG for Tampa), as well as the legendary NYT correspondent Johnny Apple. Mr. Apple actually got it right. I need to see if I can find that....

As you know, a super-authentic Cuban would be made with the Tampa-style bread from La Segunda (less "short" and fluffier than Miami bread, plus the palm leaf), and Genoa salami, in addition to the other orthodox ingredients.

JeffB wrote:As you know, a super-authentic Cuban would be made with the Tampa-style bread from La Segunda (less "short" and fluffier than Miami bread, plus the palm leaf), and Genoa salami, in addition to the other orthodox ingredients.

Like this:

Columbia Restaurant Cubano Lunch Combo

I'm now, officially, homesick

1905 Salad may look like a wilted mess but it's soooo delicious...mmmm.

I don't happen to be a fan of Columbia's cubans--their bread is a bit thin and I don't love the meat that they use but, all together, it's still pretty damn good.

I need a vacation.

boudreaulicious wrote:1905 Salad may look like a wilted mess but it's soooo delicious...mmmm.

It looks good to me. What's in it?

Suzy:

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/recip ... edItemID=2

Have it whenever visiting my grandpa in Tampa. Good stuff.

The love is in the preparation--always tableside (cheese is not just an ingredient in this baby!) If you don't love salt, this is not the salad for you--ham, green olives, a very piquant romano, Lea & Perrins...mmmm...good stuff!

Had one the other day at Columbia's cafe outpost in the Tampa Bay History Center down on the riverwalk. Looks markedly different than stevez's upthread. I appreciated not only the balance of meats, but also the quantity - not like those overstuffed piled-high Americano cubanos.

That looks more like what I tend to favor...a good amount of roast pork to go with the ham...Steve's was probably similar but couldn't make out the roast pork as prominently. I am now very homesick!

Those that follow the Hungry Hound on Twitter might of seen him doing his own little Cuban sandwich quest in Miami recently. He was pretty quick to dismiss Tampa as the superior to all other places or rather fast with the trigger to crown Miami the King. I twat at him saying he needed to check out Tampa before proclaiming Miami the best and he replied that he promised to get back to Tampa "next trip". No worries mon, the Hungry Lion's got dis one. I did my own little quest for one of the countries best regional sandwiches while in the Cigar City earlier this month.

West Tampa Sandwich Shop


A locals favorite for the past 32 years

The first stop was one that came onto my radar this past election season. The POTUS stopped into this popular lunch and socializing spot in an old Cuban neighborhood not far from Ybor City. That's where many of the old cigar factories the Cuban immigrants of Tampa used to work at. Popular debate topics the past three decades have been what Cubans are passionate about, baseball and politics. Though most everyone here agrees on the food. When I stopped in on a Fri. around lunch the place was popping with regulars having espresso and sandwiches. They only have two presses so when it gets busy the wait can be a little while. Call ahead if in a rush.


The ladies behind the counter were hard at work on my visit

When the President visited he ordered ropa viejo and Honey Cuban sandwiches for his crew. I wish I could of further explored the menu but I was on a mission and needed room in my appetite for the other shops. I ended up getting their specialty of the house Honey Cuban sandwich which is a regular Cuban pressed with drizzled honey on the bread. This was my GF's 2nd and very close to 1st favorite place and one I thoroughly enjoyed with the enhancement of the warm honey.


Honey Cuban Sandwich

La Segunda Central Bakery


Supplying fresh baked Cuban bread to Tampa since 1915

JeffB wrote:As you know, a super-authentic Cuban would be made with the Tampa-style bread from La Segunda (less "short" and fluffier than Miami bread, plus the palm leaf), and Genoa salami, in addition to the other orthodox ingredients.

Not far from our first stop you'll find this JeffB rec'd Tampa institution where they still hand bake their original recipe Cuban bread around the clock. On top of their most popular item which is their bread they also have all sorts of baked sweets and a couple of sweeties working behind the counter if I may say so myself. You can order treats from the cases with those working them and then theres a separate station for sandwiches.


A peak inside

One thing to take note of in Tampa is some places include everything as far as condiments go to be mayo, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato and onion. Most places also will ask if you want your sandwich hot or cold. So be sure to tell them you only want the cheese, pickles, mustard and maybe a little mayo if you must. Don't mind the salami, as mentioned above that's traditional in these parts and doesn't do anything to hurt the sandwich, it only helps. Obviously the bread was the star here and the sandwich was great because of it. It could of been a little warmer inside.


Cuban Sandwich from the source for the best Cuban bread in the states

Brocato's Sandwich Shop


Since 1948: A Tampa Tradition

I spent my first year of college down in Tampa at UT and this was me a couple of my buddies go to spot for a huge filling sandwich. Just like back when this place is still packed to the brim during lunchtime. It's a pretty large space with an outdoor area and they have quite a few folks making sandwiches and their famous Devil Crabs are made for you to see in their own public kitchen.


What is it?

I always loved the Devil Crabs which is a great mixture of flavors. Chopped onions, red peppers, crab claw meat that's lightly mixed with marinara and Worcestershire sauce is fried in huge oversize croquettes. These treats have influence from the cigar factory workers of Cuba, Spain and Italy. Brocato's always had the best. They have a special that will get you any 6" sandwich and a Devil Crab for $13 which is the way to go. As far as sandwiches they have quite a few including their popular Italian and also a meatball and cheese steak.


A peak inside Tampa's not as famous regional eat

Back then it wash either a Cuban or their roast pork straight up for me. Its the pork that makes this sandwich. One somewhat disappointing aspect of most Cubans I had all over Florida this past trip was the fact most used cheap old deli ham. It makes me further appreciate Cafecito for their use of quality ham. Although the pork at all these places is pretty great and Brocato's is best. It's the Al's beef of Cubans in Tampa.


Cuban Sandwich

The Floridian


Located in a little strip mall, recommended thru a Tampa foodie on Twitter

Not to be confused by the historic Floridan Hotel which is also in town, the Floridian is a newer sandwich shop with the aim of going chain. As for now the original location is on Kennedy Blvd and they claim to serve the "Finest Cuban Sandwiches on the Planet". The bread as La Segunda's website points out comes from there and overall the perfectly pressed sandwich really worked but again the quality of the ham was somewhat lacking. Although I'm guessing this is how locals like it. I still very much liked it myself.


Cuban Sandwich

Wright's Gourmet

I never made it to Wright's when I was in Tampa but had I it would of been my spot. This is an old school deli where you walk in and wait in line until the sandwich makers call you up. You then order from the sandwich menu or the display case with potato salads and other such sides as well as their famous desserts and pay after its all made and placed on your tray.


Since 1963, Tampa's Premiere Deli Cafe

I tried their famous "Beef Martini" sandwich at the airport en route home but the star here is their Cuban. Both me and her declared it easily the best on this trip. It's made with La Segunda bread, and in addition to some great sliced roasted pork, ham and salami they add a slice of turkey and use Jarlsberg cheese. A perfectly balanced sandwich. I'd love to try some of their other offerings. Happy New Year to all.


The 6 Time Winner of the Tampa Tribune's Best Cuban Sandwich in the city contest

West Tampa Sandwich Shop
3904 North Armenia Avenue
Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 873-7104

La Segunda Central Bakery
2512 North 15th Street
Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 248-1531

Brocato's Sandwich Shop
5021 East Columbus Drive
Tampa, FL 33619
(813) 248-9977

The Floridian
4424 W. Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 287-6662

Wright's Gourmet Cafe
1200 South Dale Mabry Highway
Tampa, FL 33629
(813) 253-3838

GREAT post beef. Even if you left out my favorite spot, Hugo's and my 2nd favorite, La Teresita. The sandwich with the honey scares me And in my 40something years of eating Wright's sandwiches, I confess, I've never had a Cuban there. I plan to correct that oversight in a couple of weeks when I'm there. Thanks for yet another great sandwich survey!

boudreaulicious wrote:GREAT post beef. Even if you left out my favorite spot, Hugo's and my 2nd favorite, La Teresita. The sandwich with the honey scares me And in my 40something years of eating Wright's sandwiches, I confess, I've never had a Cuban there. I plan to correct that oversight in a couple of weeks when I'm there. Thanks for yet another great sandwich survey!

It looks like the Cuban (and their multi-layer chocolate cake) might be the redeeming grace for Wright's. At least it will get me back inside the store again after my WTF moment with their beef martini sandwich (roast beef and butter on white bread? No thanks).

Really nice rundown Beef. Don't worry about Dolinsky. He makes some snap judgments but usually comes around to the right conclusion.

The abysmal state of ham at many otherwise solid sanguicherias throughout Florida is NOT a reflection of local tradition or taste. My old fave, long closed now, Vienna Bakery on Havana, roasted and glazed its own high quality city ham and sliced to order. Columbia still glazes and bakes its own quality ham for Cubans. Once upon a time, all the good places used a flat iron from the laundry to achieve a glassy glazed finish on the bone in hams on site. Ham used to be as important as the lechon and bread. Not so much now.

Some other faves include La Ideal, Silver Ring, and Alessi. In a pinch, and assuming an old Cuban lady is manning the deli case, one can even find a decent Cuban at Publix.

Hugo's is good. I love Terisita, but never for Cubans. They take a Miami approach and use utility coldcuts - which all makes sense because the staff is made up of more recent immigrants, not old line Tampenos who take the sandwich so seriously.

JB

I've linked this before, but this short article from Tampa's best food historian, Andy Huse, holds up.

http://www.cigarcitymagazine.com/food/i ... dwich-city

stevez wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:GREAT post beef. Even if you left out my favorite spot, Hugo's and my 2nd favorite, La Teresita. The sandwich with the honey scares me And in my 40something years of eating Wright's sandwiches, I confess, I've never had a Cuban there. I plan to correct that oversight in a couple of weeks when I'm there. Thanks for yet another great sandwich survey!

It looks like the Cuban (and their multi-layer chocolate cake) might be the redeeming grace for Wright's. At least it will get me back inside the store again after my WTF moment with their beef martini sandwich (roast beef and butter on white bread? No thanks).

Garlic butter AND mushrooms AND bacon and roast beef on white bread--and it's awesome

boudreaulicious wrote:

stevez wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:GREAT post beef. Even if you left out my favorite spot, Hugo's and my 2nd favorite, La Teresita. The sandwich with the honey scares me And in my 40something years of eating Wright's sandwiches, I confess, I've never had a Cuban there. I plan to correct that oversight in a couple of weeks when I'm there. Thanks for yet another great sandwich survey!

It looks like the Cuban (and their multi-layer chocolate cake) might be the redeeming grace for Wright's. At least it will get me back inside the store again after my WTF moment with their beef martini sandwich (roast beef and butter on white bread? No thanks).

Garlic butter AND mushrooms AND bacon and roast beef on white bread--and it's awesome

As you know, its beauty is lost on me. That's the WASPiest sandwich I've ever eaten, but that cubano...

boudreaulicious wrote:

stevez wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:GREAT post beef. Even if you left out my favorite spot, Hugo's and my 2nd favorite, La Teresita. The sandwich with the honey scares me And in my 40something years of eating Wright's sandwiches, I confess, I've never had a Cuban there. I plan to correct that oversight in a couple of weeks when I'm there. Thanks for yet another great sandwich survey!

It looks like the Cuban (and their multi-layer chocolate cake) might be the redeeming grace for Wright's. At least it will get me back inside the store again after my WTF moment with their beef martini sandwich (roast beef and butter on white bread? No thanks).

Garlic butter AND mushrooms AND bacon and roast beef on white bread--and it's awesome

If this is what you're talking about then, yeah - I'm in. Looks pretty damn good to me.

Beef Martini @ Wright's Gourmet

This reminds me that I need to put butter on sandwiches more often. And I find it hilarious that you'd identify it as the WASPiest sandwich you've ever had, Steve, because when I first tried it, I described it as reminiscent of the dinner spreads laid out by Grammy Jo, my college girlfriend's grandmother in Jeff City, Missouri. Brauncshweiger in spades, dill pickles repacked with added sugar, German potato salad, and white bread sandwiches made with butter. This is not a bad thing

In case anyone goes to Wrights, they do the same sandwich with real roasted turkey breast, also thinly sliced--I actually prefer it ever so slightly to the beef version. And Palma Ceia, the neighborhood in which Wrights is located is still firmly WASP (white, affluent, southern, Protestant ).

Why, oh why, did I not thoroughly search "Tampa" and "Cuban" before a recent pit stop en route to Bradenton Beach. I was slumming it over in the other Tampa thread.

Throwing caution to the wind, we chose Brocato's for our one meal in town.

The place was packed, seemingly mostly with locals. The long wait was a little rough after a delayed flight and particularly the extra 20 minutes for the devil crab after our sandwiches came out. Which gave me plenty of time to keep a hawk eye on the sandwich prep. Man, that place makes some large sandwiches and that seems to be what keeps folks coming back. I had a hunch that my Cuban was not going to have that ephemeral, restrained balance that is the standard by which a lot of esteemed opinions around here judge this sandwich by. I was also thrown off by the counterperson asking if I wanted "everything" which included mayo, lettuce, tomato. Also no sandwich presses in sight. Every sandwich went through a pass of the countertop convection, but even Potbelly's pulls that off.



I don't know, maybe I just don't get Cubans, maybe I've just never crossed paths with this elusive platonic ideal that I'm reading about upthread (like those pics from The Floridian and Wright's). I think I've had better balanced Cubanos in Chicago, Cafecito does it right, verdad? This sandwich had too much bad ham, was on the beastly side (I only killed 1/2 of a 6"), had mayo which I didn't ask for, and was cold in the middle (no melted swiss, sob). And was there salami in that? Wifey's just-pork sangwich, which I approached with no expectations, was really satisfying, a lechon po boy of sorts.

The devil crab was fun at least. A sum of its parts– can crab creole in a piping hot jacket of fried bread crumbs, drowned in Texas Pete.

We checked out a legendary spot. I liked the vibe. Food was okay. Next time I'll consult this thread.

Jefe, that cubano looks like a downright abomination, if you can even call it a cubano. Cafecito employs legit technique and ingredients, but doesn't even come close the the best of which I had in Miami. Speaking of ham, in Miami I recall seeing ham being carved fresh off the bone of a dry cured ham for some sandwiches. I'll have to dig through my pictures sometime to remember the name of the place.

laikom wrote:Jefe, that cubano looks like a downright abomination, if you can even call it a cubano. Cafecito employs legit technique and ingredients, but doesn't even come close the the best of which I had in Miami. Speaking of ham, in Miami I recall seeing ham being carved fresh off the bone of a dry cured ham for some sandwiches. I'll have to dig through my pictures sometime to remember the name of the place.

Cafecito is the best example in Chicago, but yeah, I'd be interested in learning of this spot in Miami. Had many of Cubano's down there and most all are lacking in the ham department, not to mention the bread aint what it is in Tampa. Much like Italian Beef here, there's countless spots that make Cuban sandwiches down there but only a select few do it with zero shortcuts taken. Brocato's might not be the best Cuban in Tampa, but its a Cuban sandwich. Just ask the generations of Cuban-Americans that frequent the place. Like I said up above, its like the Al's Beef of Cubanos down there in that there's none other like it and people tend to either love it or hate it. I'm kind of in the middle because there are better but this is the spot that made me realize every region in the country has it's own signature foods unique to the area.

Gringoed. That's not a good or even typical example of a Brocato's Cuban. No, don't ever get it with "everything" as noted. No lettuce, tomato or mayo. Those are cold items, and no one actually wants their lettuce heated through into slime, so they don't do it. Brocato's absolutely does better. In both Tampa and Miami you must be keen to avoid salad on your Cuban these days. Hell, in Miami they will slip bacon in. But, the guy at Cefecito went to both towns to study the masters. In my view, yes, other than the Beard & Belly model I recently started digging, Cafecito does well within the (substantial) constraints of the objectively wrong bread. Having just recently spent time throughout Cuba, I can tell you that the pinnacle of these sandwiches remains in Florida, south of Orlando.

It could well be that you just don't like the sandwich. I often prefer pan con lechon, especially with bread and pork as good as Brocato's to shine through. Original Al's on Taylor is a great parallel. Almost universally heralded, but with a significant number of disappointed pilgrims. I don't deny their experience or disrespect them, but I happily don't get it, either.

I'm sure the pictured sandwich sucked, though, with the tepid mayo, lechuga and tomate and cool center. But honestly, just looking at it, it would beat out most of what passes for a Cuban here and most towns, for me. Real roast pork. Ham that's baked, not boiled (the edge makes this clear). And actual Cuban bread. And, yes, Genoa salami. Completely orthodox. Just a different strain of orthodoxy.

PS: imagine someone trying "real" tacos for the first time in Chicago or LA. Counter guy looks at her, asks if she wants "everything" on her asado, and she nods. OK. Shredded iceberg, mushy diced tomato, a squirt of sour cream, maybe some orange cheese. Maybe a stale flour tortilla. Tragedies like this happen every day.

JeffB wrote:Gringoed. That's not a good or even typical example of a Brocato's Cuban. No, don't ever get it with "everything" as noted. No lettuce, tomato or mayo.

No, I didn't order the mayo, lettuce, tomato. My wife ordered her sandwich first, so I was on the defensive. It was not served to me with lettuce or tomato, but yes, mayo. I a'int no fool, I know what goes on a Cuban. As I mentioned, the po boy like quality of the pork sandwich was actually enhanced by the MLT (which wasn't baked long enough to wither into a Quiznozian sludge), and I liked it better.

And the salami was lost in the salty-sweetish layers of ham.

The bread might have been the best part and dare I say, it reminded me of D'Amatos (which means perhaps an even more legit Tampa style Cuban could be concocted in Chi.) I think I like the aesthetics of the thin pressing though. And I like the idea that this sandwich is more of a snack, restrained in its elegance than a big ol gut buster overflowing with flappy deli ham.

Maybe I'm just not wired to like this sandwich. Its all good, I'm not crazy about Al's either. I grew up with Pop's, which sometimes disappoints guests unfamiliar with Italian beef. I also love White Castles... different strokes!

Got it. I misread your post. The pictured example isn't a good one. It absolutely lacks the construction and balance you want. Try Wrights or Columbia some time. I hate to say it, but as other types of food have gotten better by leaps and bounds in Florida, I think Cuban has suffered in general. My favorite old time places are either gone (original Silver Ring, Vienna Bakery where they not only roasted their own pork, they made their own ham (!) and finished it with a glassy glaze) or shells of their former selves (Tropicana, West Tampa). Time perhaps for some well trained young local chef to rediscover what's unique and historical in her own town.

Agree completely about the bread. If Graziano's made a Cuban I'm sure it would be good. Closest I've come across to La Segunda in Chicago is actually Liborio- which I like a lot in general but isn't much found in the city proper, except along Harlem.

So, the addition of lettuce and tomato are an automatic disqualifier? I'm not from the area but I've had sandwiches served this way at Le Teresita on more than one occasion and they were awesome. And it seemed pretty much everyone in place was having them served in the exact same style. I'm not saying I couldn't go the other way on this (or even enjoy it more without l & t) but this hardly seemed like a place that would 'gringofy' anything. Thoughts?

=R=

Lots of thoughts on the subject. Personally I feel like lettuce, tomato, and mayo would make it a different sandwich, and while (maybe?) not bad, I personally wouldn't call it a Cubano. Some people share my feelings:

Back then, a Cuban sandwich had included pork, ham, turkey, Genoa salami, swiss cheese, sour pickle slices and mustard. No mayo, lettuce or tomatoes. Those were added later by Anglos, or Americans as they were called in Ybor City. And it was the Anglos who started calling the mixto sandwich a Cuban sandwich, Espinosa says, because that’s who they saw eating them.

However, two things are fixed for an authentic Cuban: it's always made with thin-sliced pork roast, and that roast must be piled onto real Cuban bread. Nothing else will give you the crisp crunch that is the point of this sandwich. And a proper Cuban never contains mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, or smoked turkey breast.

Lettuce and tomato? You can't put it on a Cuban sandwich. All that moisture seeps and it screws up the bread. If you want to add it on afterwards, that's OK.

Re: La Teresita -

Much to my surprise, the cuban had shredded lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on it, 3 big no-nos for purists. This is the equivalent of putting ketchup on a chicago style hotdog. I am not a hardcore traditionalist, however, and will accept variations so I left the tomato and mayonnaise on the sandwich and just scraped the shredded lettuce off (due to my intense hatred of shredded lettuce on sandwiches. Seriously people, stop it.)

laikom wrote:Lots of thoughts on the subject. Personally I feel like lettuce, tomato, and mayo would make it a different sandwich, and while (maybe?) not bad, I personally wouldn't call it a Cubano. Some people share my feelings:

Back then, a Cuban sandwich had included pork, ham, turkey, Genoa salami, swiss cheese, sour pickle slices and mustard. No mayo, lettuce or tomatoes. Those were added later by Anglos, or Americans as they were called in Ybor City. And it was the Anglos who started calling the mixto sandwich a Cuban sandwich, Espinosa says, because that’s who they saw eating them.

However, two things are fixed for an authentic Cuban: it's always made with thin-sliced pork roast, and that roast must be piled onto real Cuban bread. Nothing else will give you the crisp crunch that is the point of this sandwich. And a proper Cuban never contains mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, or smoked turkey breast.

Lettuce and tomato? You can't put it on a Cuban sandwich. All that moisture seeps and it screws up the bread. If you want to add it on afterwards, that's OK.

Re: La Teresita -

Much to my surprise, the cuban had shredded lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on it, 3 big no-nos for purists. This is the equivalent of putting ketchup on a chicago style hotdog. I am not a hardcore traditionalist, however, and will accept variations so I left the tomato and mayonnaise on the sandwich and just scraped the shredded lettuce off (due to my intense hatred of shredded lettuce on sandwiches. Seriously people, stop it.)

No clue who you're quoting so can't comment on whether they are a qualified expert but since I've been eating Cuban sandwiches in Tampa for half a century, I'm certain that it's always been completely normal for places to offer both ways. Usually, if you get the "dressed" version (yes, that's NOLA po'boy terminology, not Cuban sandwich lingo--but it's useful here), it's not pressed. Not to say you can't get a pressed sandwich with the extras but I never recall that being automatic. If you asked for pressed, they'll still give you the option for lettuce/tomato/mayo. I'm sure most don't get them with the extras since it makes things pretty messy.

So you can have it your way, so to speak.

I agree with Jeff--a lot of the very best places are gone and others have gone downhill. I had a pretty depressing Cuban at Columbia a couple of months ago (inexcusably stale bread and pretty flavorless meat and cheese) and Hugo's, my favorite place, sold to new owners who, apparently, didn't bother to keep the recipes. It's just the way it goes.

For the record, I like both styles--my favorite sandwich growing up was the Cuban from a place called The Family (yup, rumors of Tampa "connections" were part of the place's charm) and it was definitely the loaded version.

JeffB--did you ever go there?

boudreaulicious wrote:No clue who you're quoting so can't comment on whether they are a qualified expert but since I've been eating Cuban sandwiches in Tampa for half a century, I'm certain that it's always been completely normal for places to offer both ways.

The quotes are also links, you can click them to see the sources. The gist of my links/quotes is: yes you can get it a lot of places, yes it's common enough, and yes it is wrong and gross.

'Gross and wrong' . . . not really the kind of background I was hoping might be out there.

On no level could the sandwiches I had at La Teresita be described as gross. Of course, I didn't eat there with 4th graders, either.

=R=