Cuban sandwiches (at Tropicana in Tampa)--what am I missing?

[AppleSister]

During a laid-back, Memorial Day weekend in Tampa, my friends and I hit three Chowhound recommendations, La Tropicana, Snack City, and Frenchy's in Clearwater. Snack City's ice cream was over-sweet for me, though Alfredo was friendly and enthusiastic about playing his CD and posing for a photo with some tourists, and so totally worth the trip. Frenchy's was the clear favorite, and the oysters stuffed with spinach and cheese were much better than I expected, being a fan of the clear, clean taste of raw oysters. The sunset over the beach didn't hurt either.

But what is the deal with Cuban sandwiches? I had one before in Puerto Rico off some random roadside stand and was unimpressed, but willing to try again at La Tropicana. It still just tasted like a ham sandwich to me, not bad, but not particularly great. Whenever someone says, "I don't like X food," I just think, well, she's probably never had a good version. So can someone tell me what he/she likes about a good Cuban sandwich?

[s.m. koppelman]

I don't know; sometimes we just don't like what we don't like. F'rinstance, I don't understand the allure of arugula-and-goat-cheese pizza or Shanghainese sticky rice.

Me, I love a great Cuban sandwich. Presumably, yours came out piping hot, pressed thin and toasty with some of the melted garlicky mayo glistening on the outside, and the sharp cheese melted together with the ham, and the pickles were still crunchy and the roast pork was earthy-rich and flecked with crispy bits, right?

Then I don't know. Maybe they're just not your thing.

[AppleSister]

Hmm--not what I had. Not piping hot, no garlicky mayo, no sharp cheese. Maybe Tropicana's not all that.

[JeffB]

Ah, but it is "all that," in general. Certainly among your best bets in Ybor. You need to ask for it pressed on the plancha next time, and, as has been said here many, many times, resist the "super" or "all the way" with lettuce, tomatoes and other such nonesense. And get the garbanzos for dipping. And cafe con leche. And a cigar.

As Andy said, the greatest places make everything in house. Few remain in Tampa or anywhere else. My old favorite, Vienna bakery (house made bread, ham, and pork) is gone, for example.

On the other hand, some people don't like sandwiches. And even good places have bad days. But you were in one of the "right" places. In fact, you were in 3 of the "right" places in Tampa/St. Pete. Sorry they didn't live up to expectations. They always come through for me.

[Tommy D]

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But mayo (garlic or otherwise) on a Cuban? Sharp cheese on a Cuban? I guess you can call it a Cuban. But it sounds to me that you are eating a pressed hero or hoagie or grinder or sub.
I'll take mine with ham, mojo pork, swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. Pressed of course. The quality of the meats is vital but so it the bread. Fresh, crusty Cuban bread, the top split by a palm frond while baking is indespensible.
Try the little place across from the St. Pete/Clearwater airport (Airport Variety?)

[the_sneeb]

cheers to that. a cuban any other way is no cuban in my book.

[andy huse]

Your reaction is understandable. There is nothing wrong with your taste buds.

It is darn difficult to find a good Cuban sandwich. It is a dying culinary breed. I've done a good deal of research, and the great Cuban sandwich truly seems like a thing of the past. Long in the past. By the time it became a recognized and revered tradition in the 1940s-50s, I think the real thing was already fading fast. The true Cuban sandwich--- conceived in Cuba and perfected in Tampa--- lived and died with Ybor City. And for the uninitiated, Ybor City was dead for all practical purposes when the bulldozer of urban renewal growled into gear in 1965.

First of all, it must be understood that two of the most important elements in the sandwich, ham and roast pork, were crafts in themselves that aren't practiced much anymore. Making the pork took a good 24 hours, and the hams required a good deal of time as well. Almost no one on this good earth is willing to go to such lengths to sell a $3-$5 sandwich. For example, after the ham was baked, it was glazed with sugar and spices, which were melted on with a tailor's iron. The smell alone could draw crowds. Pork, with the mojo marinade process and slow cooking, demanded just as much attention. So wet, cheap boiled ham and processed pork give us little indication of what a real Cuban sandwich should taste like. It doesn't help that most places pile on lettuce and tomato, which to me is like adding a glass of water--- it dilutes the flavor.

What do I love about the sandwich? It is the contrast between the dry crust of Cuban bread with the rich mingling of moist melted fats within (i like it pressed thoroughly). The bold combo of salty ham and salami with the garlic and vinegar overtones of the roast pork, all heightened with the sharp taste of pickle and mustard--- and the whole mess married by the subtle charm of swiss cheese.

There is nothing inherently great about the Cuban. It is like the hot dog--- an institution to be sure, but nothing earth shattering. It is rare indeed to fine a Cuban sandwich worthy of the name.

It is indicative that by the early 1970s, the Tampa Trib began the Cuban sandwich contest. This implies that 1) Cuban sandwiches could be found in many other locations than Ybor, and 2) that the quality of the average Cuban had slipped, promptiing a hunt for where the best could be found. I read an article from that period bemoaning the awful varieties found in local gas stations. The decline was just beginning then. By the late 1980s, the Trib discontinued the contest for a time. A good sandwich was indeed hard to find.

There is also the whole home town phenomenon. Tampans will always search for the taste of nostalgia, of the long-lost Cuban that might be re-found through a miracle or twist of fate. The south touts its BBQ, but it can difficult to find the real McCoy. The same goes for the elusive Cuban sandwich, all but erased from its natural habitat.

As for where to go: there are very few reliable places. I have yet to try Blanco's. Dona Rossina's on Busch does a good job, but the bread isn't quite right (they're from Miami, where the bread just isn't the same). I still recommend their sandwich. Hugo's on Howard does a decent job, but it has been a while. Truthfully, I've all but given up on finding a great Cuban. My best advice to you: order a Cuban sandwich, paradoxically, when going to a fine Spanish/Cuban restaurant, a la Columbia, Valencia Gardens, etc. They tend to put more time into their ham and pork. And ask for it without lettuce and tomato!

[RibDog]

Nice writeup Andy. I have to admit that I personally prefer to get a Cuban roast pork sandwich more than I do a Cuban sandwich anymore. But even these are hard to find.

John

[s.m. koppelman]

The mayo or oil or whatever is so melted it runs clear. By sharp cheese I do mean Swiss, enough of it that you can taste it against the sweet and the salty of the meats and the bread and the pickles. We are indeed talking about the same sandwich.

Mustard is a religious issue. Some believe in mustard, others do not. Mustard seems to be a stronger article of faith in Tampa than it is in Miami, but not so much that you don't find it both ways on both coasts. And when I lived up north, I don't think I ever came across a cubano in the NYC/Union City, NJ corridor that had mustard without asking. I'm not sure what that means either way.

[s.m. koppelman]

I replied to the wrong reply. Linkulation should be recontextualized. That is all.

[Tommy D]

When it is done right - good bread, quality ham, pork and swiss cheese, mustard and pickles - A Cuban in Tampa Bay or in the Miami area is "the sandwich" and is well worth looking for.
Just like the beef-on-wick is in buffalo, the cheese steak in Philly, a lobster roll in Maine, a grinder or hero in Connecticut, or a po-boy in New Orleans.
I'm sure there are so-so versions of each of these. Keep looking around, you'll find a great Cuban.

You might also try Treasures of The Caribbean on 49th St. and 86 Ave N. in Pinellas Park. Or The Country Market and Deli at 13th Ave N and 24th St. in St. Pete.

[Tommy D]

When it is done right - good bread, quality ham, pork and swiss cheese - A Cuban in Tampa Bay or in the Miami area is "the sandwich" and is well worth looking for.
Just like the beef-on-wick is in buffalo, the cheese steak in Philly, a lobster roll in Maine, a grinder or hero in Connecticut, or a po-boy in New Orleans.
I'm sure there are so-so versions of each of these. Keep looking around, you'll find a great Cuban.

You might also try Treasures of The Caribbean on 49th St. and 86 Ave N. in Pinellas Park. Or The Country Market and Deli at 13th Ave N and 24th St. in St. Pete.

[Larry]

This post gives me memories of going down to the Columbia late at night to take a break from studying at USF to get a cuban and a bowl of Spanish bean soup. In a pinch, the University Restaurant on Fowler had one, but their burgers were better. And to go to the Silver Ring and watch them being made in the window. This was in the late 60's early 70's and I do remember when that contest was on. The Silver Ring was hands down the best. As for the bread, I have never found a bread like that anywhere else. I was living in the Keys 5 years ago and their sandwiches were nothing compared to the ones in Tampa in my memory. I guess this means I will be taking a trip to Tampa in the future, haven't been there since '75 except to change planes at the airport (still my favorite after all these years) and search out some food. Is the Valencia Gardens still there. Remember when they did the food on the late night TV with the toasting? Salud and happy days # what ever that day of advertising was? Followed by the Right Reverend Adele Moncreif doing the signoff. Stoner days.

[Tandoori Girl]

Castellano & Pizzo grocery on Henderson Blvd. roasts their pork and ham themselves, and it is delectable. You might try one of theirs.

I remember my mom buying Cubans from Publix in Lakeland during my youth in the mid 1960s. They were pre-made and wrapped in plastic wrap. I recollect a lot of ham, salami, and swiss on Cuban bread, with the requisite pickle and mustard. ALWAYS pickle, ALWAYS mustard. There was probably pork but it doesn't resonate in my memory like the other ingredients.

I like mine with mayo, lettuce, and tomato because that's the way I've always had them (mom used to add lettuce and tomato to the Publix ones). I think the key to a good Cuban is in the pressing which crisps the bread and melds the myriad of ingredients into one. I can't even imagine a Cuban that is not pressed -- that's a hoagie! My favorite Cuban comes from La Ideal. They know how to press a Cuban at La Ideal. And their roast pork with mojo and onions is making my mouth water just thinking about it.

[BeerManDan]

Well, looking over the other posts, I will put in my twqo cents ot twelve ozs, fot what it's worth. As Andy pointed out, great Cuban sandwiches are dying out here in Tampa. There are some places that will always stand out in my opinion.

Having been born, bred, schooled, left, and returned to Tampa, the Cuban sandwich is the one thing I always craved upon returning home. A great Cuban is hard to find and harder to keep a secret. Silver ring used to be a Tampa mainstay years back. It was (IMHO) the real deal. It has all the ingredients that have been stated before-ham, roast pork, salami, swiss cheese, pickels, and mustard. Some places have a mustard/mayo combo. Still a good eat.

I spend a lot of days searching for damn good cuban sandwiches both in Hills and Pinellas Counties. Here are a few places that I would recommend. Some you've heard of and others you will be hard pressed to find. Get it, hard pressed. Anyways, there is something else people are forgetting about cuban sandwiches, price. What makes a cuban sandwich great is the price. A cuban sandwich should never be over five bucks. It shold be in the three dollar range, but never over five. If it's over five, you're getting ripped off.

La Tropicicana in Ybor. The 40th St. sandwich shop on 40th St. near Columbus in East Tampa. Mami's market on Busch Blvd and Armenia Ave. The Argentine Grill on Tampa Rd in Oldsmar. This place has somehting about their cubans that make it awsome. It has to do with how their roast pork is and they put this relish on it-mighty tasty. Top Shelf, a sandwhich shop across from Home Depot on Florida Ave that is good.

Those are all I can think of at the moment. It is a great quest to find good cuban sandwiches for a good price. I liken it to finding great beers that abound in the nooks and crannies of beer stores across the bay.

BeerManDan

[Sandwitch]

OK, so I'm going to Tampa for a teachers' convention. My main objective is to eat as many Cuban sandwiches as possible. I've been trying to recreate the ones I had in NYC at home here in San Francisco and I'm sure I'm missing something.

As I won't have a lot of time to search out the city, any recommendations for the best places to eat these either in the Westshore area or near the Tampa Conference Center would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Sandwitch

[tortambassador]

So I listened to Andy Huse and Jeff Houck about the new $30,000 oven Mr. Gonzmart put in his Columbia Restaurant to bring that old time Cuban sandwich taste back. I've been on a mission myself to find the best Cuban sandwich in Tampa for a year now. Well today I said what the heck I'll take a ride to Y'bor and check it out. I have never been more disappointed in my life. I can't believe Mr. Gonzmart would have allowed such a product to come out of his kitchen. If he spent all this money on ovens and importing ham , salami and cheese he got screwed. The cheese on my sandwich was still cold and not even melted let alone to tell you the temperature of the meat. $7.95 for this totally inferior product. It was so bad I was ashamed for the restaurant and that we might have even had tourists from New Orleans come check it out. Mr. Gonzmart I can't believe you spent all this time on a product so bad. I can name at least 25 other places I'd go get a Cuban then the Columbia.

[andy huse]

i replied to your other message. There is no excuse for a poorly executed wsandwich, but singling out the owner is hardly fair, unless he personally made the sandwich. it is a big operation, and consistency is a constant battle. Richard would blow his top if he found this oversight. so relax . I just had one at the Columbia, to go, and ate it hours after i got it, It was great. so good i almost got another the next day. perhaps you could actually suggest where a good Cuban can be found. Surely your year-long search must have yielded more than this complaint.

[RibDog]

Well said, Andy.

[TampaNativeThatLovesNYC]

IMO..most decent Cuban in Ybor-La Segunda. Tropicana is one of the worst