Tampa IS the Cuban sandwich

ruskinredneck

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/04/21/151050107/the-cuban-sandwich-crisis-tampa-v-miami-for-the-win
NPR article on Tampa v. Miami. Down goes Miami! Down goes Miami! Down goes Miami!

Gardawg

Good Gawd ... it's just a ham and cheese sandwich ... BTW ... Miami and Tampa are both sh=t holes

big_t

^this
Miami is three hours closer to the YC and the Lauren Jeanne, though!

238SP

Gardawg wrote: »

Good Gawd ... it's just a ham and cheese sandwich ... BTW ... Miami and Tampa are both sh=t holes

X2

T Top

flatsjunkie88 wrote: »

Brocato's in Tampa makes the best cuban around.

Cryin freekin shame about SeaBreeze!

jad1097

Jack Hexter wrote: »

Having spent 27 years in Miami and 10 in the Tampa area, I have yet to find a Cuban Sandwich in Tampa that could compare to the better Cuban's in Miami. Latin American Restaurants in Miami and Hialeah made the best Cubans around. Don't know if those restaurants are around any longer. I was in Miami last week and had a pretty good Cuban at Havana Harry's (Lejeune @ 2 blocks N of S Dixie)

Baked (not boiled) ham, Roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickle slices on a good Cuban bread with mustard (NO mayo), buttered on the outside and pressed till the cheese starts to melt, cut diagonally. Forget the lettuce, tomato and salami :puke And don't chintz on the meat.

Grew up in Miami and feel the same way after living in the Tampa area for a few years. All the other crap ruins a Cuban sandwich.

Tarpon65

Publix Cuban Bread
Boar's Head Tavern Ham and Roast Pork (about a 2:1 ratio)
Swiss Cheese
Dill Pickle slices
Little mayo and mustard
Pressed on griddle with cast iron skillet pressing down on it

Bimini Twisted

Tarpon65 wrote: »

Publix Cuban Bread
Boar's Head Tavern Ham and Roast Pork (about a 2:1 ratio)
Swiss Cheese
Dill Pickle slices
Little mayo and mustard
Pressed on griddle with cast iron skillet pressing down on it

The same done with the sweet Hawaiian bread at the Publix deli makes a great Meadia Noche.

mike_s

Used to get some really good cuban sammies at the Silver Ring Cafe in Ybor City in the early 80's. Had some at Sandy's Cafe in Key West that were decent but they put lettuce and tomato on it. Anyone know the origin of the lettuce and tomato?

Sea Snake

ruskinredneck wrote: »

Sea Snake- We had this discussion on the old forum. Y'all make a **** fine convenience store Cuban. It is usually my go to fishing sandwich. And, believe me, the use of the La Segunda bread does not go unnoticed! Quality product at a good price.

Thank you my friend....we really do try !!

steve

Ol Mucky

where is this convenience store?

team getterdun

Ol Mucky wrote: »

where is this convenience store?

I hope he'll chime in soon, but I remember him sayin that he sells to a lot of 7/11's, but not all of them. I know the one in Tierra Verda sells them and I always get them when I put in at Desoto. They are good!

Sea Snake

Ol Mucky wrote: »

where is this convenience store?

All of the Circle K stores should have them and most independent convenience stores....All the Gate stores too....and Kangaroos....and tons of fish camps.

Look for them in a white butcher wrap wrapper...says Dandee on it with a blue band....

here's a hint....the fatter ones means that that is a thicker bread, not more meats....because they get the same portions, I like the flatter ones, because I don't want to eat so thick a piece of bread....:thumbsup

If you can't find 'em...pm me and I'll find a store right in your neighborhood...and hook you up....


Steve

HialeahAngler

Gardawg wrote: »

Good Gawd ... it's just a ham and cheese sandwich ... BTW ... Miami and Tampa are both sh=t holes

SO IS URANUS.

Old E.

ruskinredneck wrote: »

x2

x3. And, btw no documentation will be found. Key West was probably incorporated before tampa, and there were plenty of cubans there, but Tampa had the largest concentration due to the Mr. Ybor's cigar factories. Cuban sandwiches came to Miami much later. My biggest problem with the Miami cuban sandwich is the bread, so inferior to Tampa's.

I also agree that Brocato's are good, but not the best. Columbia is making a **** good cuban these days (its the best thing they make IMO, but I'm not much on the Columbia). The La Ideal folks moved out to Hillsborough and started La Aguila (or something like that) Cuban there is not bad.

Next Level

I like to dip my Cuban in chicken noodle soup.

Cane Pole

Sea Snake wrote: »

This is what we make....Dandee Cuban....(shameless plug, I know...)



And yes it starts with La Segunda Cuban bread (and has been that way forever)....it has all the regular Cuban essentials including roast pork, and yes we do put salami on it, but if you're like me and don't like the peppercorns, you just take the salami off and chunk it. And it only has mustard. But in all honesty, we sell the most in the southwest Florida area, and they all want the salami....(I guess it's a Tampa thing)...but I'm not complaining, we make tons of 'em and sell most of them there. The whole southwest coast.

We used to make a Havana Melt...which is basically the same Cuban without the salami. We also make a Grill to go Cuban wrapped in parchment paper, so it can go on a grill press.....now that is the best way to eat one by far. You can also do the same at home by putting a little butter on top and bottom of your Cuban sandwich, and grilling it with a george foreman type grill, unless you have a panini press.

They're pretty dang good for a convenience store sandwich.....for an on the go treat, nuke it for about 40 seconds so the cheese slightly melts....on the boat just eat 'em cold :thumbsup

I just had one for lunch today...:wink




Oh...and a side note....a good and flattened out piece of La Segunda Cuban bread...makes a killer grilled cheese sandwich :full

...just sayin'.....

I get those at the local Cumberland Farms store, take home and cook on the George Foreman grill. Viva la cubana!

alacrity

Jack Hexter wrote: »

Having spent 27 years in Miami and 10 in the Tampa area, I have yet to find a Cuban Sandwich in Tampa that could compare to the better Cuban's in Miami. Latin American Restaurants in Miami and Hialeah made the best Cubans around. Don't know if those restaurants are around any longer. I was in Miami last week and had a pretty good Cuban at Havana Harry's (Lejeune @ 2 blocks N of S Dixie)

Baked (not boiled) ham, Roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickle slices on a good Cuban bread with mustard (NO mayo), buttered on the outside and pressed till the cheese starts to melt, cut diagonally. Forget the lettuce, tomato and salami :puke And don't chintz on the meat.

these were the best cuban sandwiches. most Latin American restaurants, including the one on Coral Way where there was a horse-shoe counter and people would stand behind them waiting for a seat, have closed.

and Cubans first went to Key West and Tampa, long before Miami existed.

Polar

publix had good cuban sammys

johnD

team getterdun wrote: »

I hope he'll chime in soon, but I remember him sayin that he sells to a lot of 7/11's, but not all of them. I know the one in Tierra Verda sells them and I always get them when I put in at Desoto. They are good!

Bingo ! And they have a press to heat them up at that 7-11.

Cane Pole

Funny to see people now implying other cities are "more cuban" than Miami. LOL!

Miami es la capital de Cuba

johnD

Cane Pole wrote: »

Funny to see people now implying other cities are "more cuban" than Miami. LOL!

Miami es la capital de Cuba

Whats funny is that people say Cubans do not know how to make real Cuban sandwiches.

Split Shot

As far as that goes an Italian can't make a pizza worth a shait!

Or Dolly's song wasn't a song till Whitney sang it.

aniano

May 26- Ybor Cuban Sandwich Fest

http://www.cigarcitymagazine.com/events/133-cuban-snadwich-festival

MRichardson

REAL Cuban sandwich = filets from a 2-lb bonefish on dry weekold bread with a dash of rat urine.

Ol Mucky

aniano wrote: »

May 26- Ybor Cuban Sandwich Fest

http://www.cigarcitymagazine.com/events/133-cuban-snadwich-festival

I had NO IDEA about the Tahitian Inn til I read some of your book the other night. We still go there, its not to far away from us.

Neat.

Oh and Wooo hooo a real cuban sammich fest!

Desperado

Ol Mucky wrote: »

I had NO IDEA about the Tahitian Inn til I read some of your book the other night. We still go there, its not to far away from us.

Neat.

Oh and Wooo hooo a real cuban sammich fest!

What's with the Tahitian? All I know is it has good burgers and balconies that are not suitable to jump from.

Ol Mucky

It was a big wise-guy run/financed/eatery type thingamajig back in the day.

capt louie

The last good one I had was at "Mochos" on Stock Island . A Cuban Mix as it's called in Key West.

ruskinredneck

Cane Pole wrote: »

Funny to see people now implying other cities are "more cuban" than Miami. LOL!

Miami es la capital de Cuba

Miami= Marielitos (aka Mariel boat lift people). Tampa= quality Cubans from the '50's.