Cuban Restaurant Near Me
Looking for a taste of Cuba? Cuban food is like a party for the taste buds. Exceptional flavors and unique dishes combine to create an exotic flavor palette that is truly unrivaled. A unique blend of Spanish, African, and other Caribbean cuisines, there’s nothing quite like a Cuban meal or a sit down at a cuban restaurant.
Ready to find a great Cuban restaurant near you? Simply browse Cuban restaurant near me on the map below and find a list of the best Cuban restaurants in your local area. Need a bit more information on Cuban food? Keep reading for facts, trivia, and insights on the best Cuban dishes around. One thing is guaranteed, you’ll leave hungrier than when you began your search!
Cuban Restaurant Near Me – Find it on the Map
Cuban Restaurant Near Me – Cuban Restaurant Trivia
Which country does Cuban food have strong ties to?
Part of what makes Cuban food so unique is the country’s strong ties to other regions of the world. However, one country is more important to the development of Cuban food as we know than any other. Which country does Cuban food have strong ties to? Consider this as you search Cuban food near me. Cuba was the first and last Spanish colony in the Caribbean. Because of this, Cuban food has extremely strong ties to Spain. You’ll find many similarities between Cuban food and traditional Spanish fare.
Back during the colonial era, Havana served as a pivotal trading port. Spanish immigrants often passed through the city when landing. Eventually, they moved on to other regions and settled a variety of towns and islands. The Spanish brought with them cattle and pigs. Both of which were incorporated into many of the dishes. Despite strong ties to Spain, Cuban food also takes influence from Native American Taino Food, African dishes, and Caribbean cuisines. The blend of all of these cultures makes for unique and exciting meals that entice the taste buds.
cuban restaurant near me
What are Cuban food staples?
As is the case with any cuisine, Cuba utilizes a few staples based on both tradition and availability. What are the most important Cuban food staples? Due to Cuba’s unique climate, tropical fruits and root veggies are all incorporated into most dishes. Expect to find lots of potatoes, bonitos, yucca, and malanga in the food you eat. Most dishes will also include seafood. Seafood is abundantly available on the island. Cuban seafood dishes are second to none due to the sheer freshness of the seafood and sides. Other popular foods are dishes such as plantains, bananas, and rice.
Tostones are something you’ll find on nearly every Cuban restaurant menu. A tostone is simply a flattened and fried green plantain. It is believed that the dish is African-inspired, a remnant of the years when slavery was still a thing on the island itself. As you search Cuban restaurant near me, consider just how much of a melting pot Cuban food truly is. When you eat Cuban food, you’re diving into a treasure trove of history, flavor, and tradition.
Cuban Restaurant Near Me – Cuban Restaurant Facts
Peasant Cuisine?
Why in the world would something as delicious as Cuban food be referred to as “peasant cuisine?” Well, the phrase isn’t a dig on the cuisine itself. Instead, this references the simplicity involved in preparing Cuban food. Unlike French food or Italian, Cuban food is not fussy. It is an uncomplicated style of cooking that never requires the cook to add ingredients in any specific order or amount. Generally, cook’s decide when something is good or tastes right by sampling the food as they go.
There is no true right or wrong and you cannot mess up a Cuban meal in any true sense of the word. Additionally, Cuban recipes are rather sparse when it comes to seasonings and spices, making it more approachable than other cuisines that rely heavily on complicated blends to achieve a certain flavor. As you search Cuban restaurant near me, consider how grounded in reality a Cuban meal truly is. It is an attainable yet flavorful cuisine that can be enjoyed by folks from all walks of life. “Peasant food?” Hardly!
A Few Key Ingredients
To build upon the idea of simplicity in Cuban cuisine, it is important to note that most meals are built around a few key ingredients. You won’t find a recipe as long as a book in this culture, nor will you find the meals inaccessible or stuffy. What can you expect to find in terms of cuisine as you search Cuban restaurant near me? Let’s start with the basics: bean soup. Bean soup plays an incredibly crucial role in Cuban cuisine.
Along with stews and casseroles, bean soup is a hallmark in nearly every Cuban kitchen. When it comes to meat, don’t expect to find much in the way of beef. Pork and chicken are the primary protein sources, along with some types of seafood. Fried food is common and popular in most Cuban restaurants. However, many Cuban’s will balance this out with a salad. Salad is served with nearly every Cuban meal.
Traditional Cuban Food
There are a few dishes that anyone searching Cuban restaurant near me has to try. Where do begin? Start with the basics and build from there. Most Cuban food aficionados recommend starting with tamales. Cuban tamales are similar to their Mexican counterparts. The major difference is that in Cuba, the meat is actually mixed with the dough and is not used as a filling. Delicious, filling, and highly affordable! Another great dish to try is Medianoche.
This dish literally means “midnight.” It’s a delicious sandwich typically served in Havana night clubs. Sweet egg bread is filled with ham, pork, cheese and pickles. Think of it as a spin on the American version of a Cuban sandwich. Finally, you’re going to want to try Shrimps in coconut sauce. The coconut sauce in this dish is prepared with coconut milk, tomato paste, garlic, and a mixture of spices that is all poured over the shrimps, lobster, or even octopus.
