If Chicago has the hot dog and New York has the mile-high pastrami sandwich on rye, Miami's sandwich is the Cuban. (Though Tampa has its own claims on the lunchtime treat.)
The origins of the Cuban date back to the late 1800s when it was the favorite midday meal of Cuban workers in cigar factories and sugar cane fields. When they migrated to the United States, they took their beloved sandwich with them.
See also: Bread + Butter: Sino-Cuban Pan Con Lechon and a Secret Dining Room
Although there are variations, the classic recipe calls for sliced roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles between slices of Cuban bread that's toasted to a golden brown.
Now a new restaurant in Little Havana will cater to the art of the Cuban sandwich. Little Bread Cuban Sandwich Co., located in the former Mansini's Pizza House space, is set to open soon.
The restaurant touts itself as the first restaurant to "solely focus on the Cuban sandwich culture." Chef Alberto Cabrera, who plays with classic Cuban dishes at Bread + Butter in Coral Gables, is behind the genius, citing Cochon in New Orleans as his inspiration. Cochon is a no-fuss restaurant that serves traditional Southern comfort food with local ingredients. Stephen Stryjewski, chef/partner of Cochon and adjacent Cochon Butcher, was named Best Chef: South at the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards.
Little Bread will offer traditional Cubans, as well as Elena Ruz, medianoches, and other sandwiches using the best possible ingredients. No word yet on the opening date.
More information on menu and prices will be posted as they become available.
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