Sanguich de Miami in Little Havana Makes Cuban Sandwiches From Scratch

Sanguich de Miami, a shipping container converted into a Cuban sandwich shop, is set to open in Little Havana this Friday, October 27, at 1641 SW Eighth St.

Adjacent to a row of storefronts with a wide brick sidewalk, the small space with a walk-up window will churn out a bounty of gourmet Cuban sandwiches, each made from scratch. All ingredients, from ham and pork to mustard and pickles, are prepped and cooked in-house.

Bread is the only item not made onsite. Sanguich's owners — Daniel Figueredo and fiancée Rosa Romero — created their own recipe, which is made in a bakery in Homestead.

"It's about bringing the Cuban sandwich back to how it should be made," Figueredo says. "Literally, I make everything from brined turkey to the onions inside our container. We came up with a really exact system. It's a science, not an art."
The menu, mainly composed of "sanguiches" (sandwiches) and "batidos" (milkshakes), includes medianoches, pan con bistec, croqueta preparadas, and cream-cheese-filled Elena Ruzes, which are paired with a rotating selection of shakes, including dulce de leche, and guava and cream cheese. There are also plantain fries, served with up to five variations of mojo sauce. Items are priced between $6 and $10.

"Everything about this is calculated," Figueredo says. "When we receive produce, when we begin to cook or slice, how we store ingredients... We plan everything to make sure we can work in such a small footprint."

Sanguich's tiny space was designed and manufactured by Figueredo, who spent much of his career building luxury boutiques before he decided to open his own eatery.

"It took me four months, and it was definitely a labor of love," he says. "But with my background and experience, I knew I could do it."
Because of the restaurant's size, food is served ventanita-style. Figueredo plans to add outdoor seating soon.

"We have intentions to grow this concept in many ways," he says. "We would love to open a number of these across Miami in the next few years."

Figueredo and Romero aren't sure where their second location might be located, but they say it will be a brick-and-mortar restaurant instead of a shipping container. In a permanent space, the couple can produce bread from the recipe they so painstakingly created.

"All of this is so overwhelming," he says. "We've been getting so many customers, all by word of mouth. It's a great feeling."

Sanguich de Miami. 1641 SW Eighth St., Miami; 786-313-3650; sanguich.com. Tuesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday and Saturday 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.