Having been to Cuba twice, it’s a shame I’ve never had authentic
Cuban food. Right or wrong, I chose to eat at the resorts, whose food is
mediocre at best … I like to joke it’s the vacation you can go on without
worrying about gaining weight.
One thing I do remember are the strong cocktails. La Cubana is no
different, the el Paraiso ($12) is probably the lightest, a tasty combination
of gin, muddled basil, and grapefruit juice.
Lucky to dine with someone of Cuban decent, she explained the
difference between a cubano and medianoche ($9.99)
is merely the bun, the later on a softer kaiser that’s not pressed so the pork
version looks like a pulled pork sandwich. The restaurant doesn’t skimp on the
meat, along with gruyere, red onion, cornichon, grainy mustard, and a chipotle
mayo the sandwich is filled with flavours and the bun doesn’t stand a chance at
holding in everything.
The medianoche’s filling
is very similar to the pork shoulder ($15.99), so in hindsight we should have
ordered either a different sandwich or main. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the slow
cooked pork, which is nicely smoked and has a slightly sweet taste. I
especially enjoyed the crunchy vinegar coleslaw on the side - just watch out
for the rounds of jalapeno, the heat can really sneak up on you!
Main plates also arrive with hot tostones (pressed plantains that
are deep fried) and rice with beans. The tostones are rather bland, a bit of
the hot sauce helps, but the beans and rice goes perfectly with the meats.
Especially
the guava BBQ beef short rib ($16.99), tender and tasty with its sweet glaze.
Topped with an herby chimichurri and frizzled onions, it was my favourite dish
of the evening.
Although already filled, we decided to share a natilla ($4.99),
the only dessert I’ve never had before. Described as chocolate pudding, it’s
much better, the light creamy chocolate custard incorporating a balanced
sweetness.
Although it’s disappointing that Cuban resorts don’t serve more
local fare, I understand they’re faced with limited ingredient availability
(since meat and fresh vegetables are scarce) and it could have been ill
received from previous resort guests. Therefore, we’re blessed in Toronto to
have La Cubana, somewhere you can sample a taste of Cuban cuisine.
Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 92 Ossington Avenue
Address: 92 Ossington Avenue
Website: http://www.lacubana.ca/new-index/
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Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
Is That It? I Want More!
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