He Said: Cuban Foods Bakery & Restaurant captures true taste of Cuba

Since moving to the Valley, there has always been one genre of food I couldn’t find much of: Cuban.

Having spent my youth in Miami, I was constantly seeking it out, but with little luck.

I found Havana Café and really enjoyed my meals but they ended up closing. This left me, yet again, without any source to satisfy my cravings.

Finally, after some research, I came upon Cuban Foods Bakery & Restaurant in the West Valley.

I judge a good Cuban restaurant by their Cubano sandwich, ropa vieja, and their café con leche, so that is exactly what I ordered. I walked away very satisfied.

Let’s start with the classic Cubano sandwich made with Cuban bread, roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The entire thing is pressed.

I have had many Cubano-type sandwiches before but the bread and the pressing are what make the true Cubano sandwich. Cuban bread may look like Italian or French bread, but its very distinct flavor makes the difference.

This sandwich was very authentic and every bite was enjoyable and worth the journey.

Next up was the ropa vieja, or shredded beef simmered in a tomato sauce with onions and peppers served with sides of black beans and rice.

This, again, hit all the flavor notes from my childhood and, even though, I am attempting to avoid rice these days, it was worth it.

Last but not least, the café con leche was perfect. These days are usually full of skinny macchiatos and sugar-free syrups, but when trying Cuban coffee, you have to go back to basics.

For a real jolt, you can always try your hand at the real stuff — straight café Cubano. This stuff is thicker than normal espresso because it is extremely concentrated.

As a kid in high school, my friends would stop by the local Cuban coffee stop before class and bring it before we went in to take finals. If you were up late studying, this would keep you going all morning long.

It is clear to me that when it comes to Cuban food in the Valley, there is nothing more authentic than this restaurant.

If you haven’t tried Cuban food before, this is definitely a great place to try it out. It will make you start thinking about taking a trip to Miami and trying practically any place in Little Havana.

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