Owners of Purple People Eatery Food Truck Open Cuento Sandwiches in Doral

In 2011, Miami was introduced to Purple People Eatery, a food truck by chefs David Shipman and Michelle Duncan that served funky and delicious creations like blackened buffalo mini burgers with blue cheese, shallots, pickled peaches, and barbecue sauce.

Shipman and Duncan share an education from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and have worked alongside industry leaders like Douglas Rodriguez, Robbin Haas, Mary Sue Milliken, and Susan Feniger.

Purple People Eatery brought forth thoughtful and elevated bites, which they often dubbed as “freaky street food,” and toured all over South Florida for an impressive ten years. After a decade of rolling around South Florida, the duo retired their purple food truck for good to plot their next venture — Cuento Sandwiches, Doral's newest elevated Cuban and Latin American sandwich shop.

“During COVID-19, we took a step back to gear up for our next project, which would be a beautiful brick-and-mortar location in the growing and vibrant community of Doral," says Shipman. "The end of our food truck days marked the beginning of the labor that would eventually lead to Cuento Sandwiches.”
Cuento means "story" in Spanish, and the name rings true to what the pair is trying to do with their new venture. Explains Shipman, “Our fondest memories usually take place over the dinner table while sharing delicious food with family and friends. I view those moments and experiences as sacred, as one of the truest ways to decompress and reconnect with both the earth and each other. There is so much in this world that creates hardship and can drive people apart, but what I love most about food is its ability to bring us together. This is what Cuento is all about, connection and kinship."

The restaurant, as you would expect from the name, is Spanish- and Cuban-inspired with a style and decor reminiscent of cafés and sandwich shops of Miami. “Much of our menu is indeed Cuban-inspired, but we aim for a more inclusive ambiance for the greater Hispanic populations in Doral," explains Shipman. "We share Spanish ancestry with the rest of Latin America, and we want them to feel that Cuento is for them, as well."
The menu features classics like the "Don Quixote," a take on the Cuban medianoche, which originated in Cuba and features Cantimpalo chorizo, smoked ham, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, Swiss cheese, pickles, and a creamy mustard sauce for dipping. Other standout “cuentos,” or sandwiches, include the "Sancho Panza," a take on the Cuban frita with a beef patty, Swiss or American cheese, malanga sticks, shallot compote, and guava ketchup.

The restaurant also serves an array of sides like the "Cuban Roots" bag of chips filled with plantain and malanga chips and sweet treats like the white chocolate flan de queso.

Cuento Sandwiches may become Doral's go-to lunch spot to share a casual, but delicious, sandwich with a friend over a good story.

Cuento Sandwiches. 4237 NW 107 Ave., Doral; 305-400-8374; cuentosandwiches.com. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.