As the newsroom’s resident half-Cuban American from Miami, I’ve been asked more than once to give my stamp of authenticity on Cuban food across the New Orleans area, particularly on Cuban sandwiches.
The classic Cuban sandwich, also known as a Cubano, is a spin on a ham and cheese sandwich, where mojo-roasted pork, pickles and mustard are added to ham and melted Swiss cheese, then placed between Cuban bread that has been buttered and pressed.
While researchers believe the Cubano has its origins in the mixed sandwiches of the Cuban homeland, the sandwich was mostly popularized by the Cuban diaspora in Florida. These days, a deep rivalry exists between Miami and Tampa over which city perfected the craft of a Cubano — Tampa’s adds Genoa salami thanks to its Italian immigrant community.
New Orleans may not be known for its own take on Cubanos, but in a city celebrated for diverse flavors, I knew a true Cubano must be out there. I decided to put that to the test at five local Cuban outposts in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish.
Taking on this sandwich odyssey, I realized how much I missed the familiar flavors of a Cubano after spending years without them, while in Illinois and Massachusetts. I also came to understand the true power of a good Cubano: the combination of the savory pork, tangy mustard, cheese and salty pickles that’s so addictive I sometimes ate half the sandwich before remembering to take notes.
Cubanos are also deceptively dense — the pressed bread gives a more modest appearance. I always needed a nice nap after.
Café Conmigo
Marco Cartolano | Times-Picayune
I started with a relatively new addition to the New Orleans food scene: Café Conmigo at 2511 Jena St., by Freret Street.
The quick-service restaurant is a great spot for casual Cuban fare for the Uptown crowd, and its diner seats give a good view of the sandwich-making.
I ordered a Cubano and a pastelito and was fed well within a typical lunch break.
The Cubano was filled with meats and cheese, and the bread was crunchy. I was particularly impressed by the mustard, which had a tangy flavor that managed to stand out between all the meats and pickles.
The pastelito was flaky and had a sweet guava that wouldn’t be out of place in a Miami bakery. It would be a great accompaniment to a strong coffee.
El Sándwiche
Marco Cartolano | Times-Picayune
This pressed sandwich spot at 3750 Williams Blvd. in Kenner may look like a humble convenience store, but it had the Cubano that made me most nostalgic.
The two halves of the sandwich are wrapped, so they’re easy to eat without getting your hands dirty. They come with papas fritas, small and thin French fries that are common sides for Latin American sandwiches. I also ordered a café con leche that woke me up from my post-work fatigue.
The sandwich kept its heat and juiciness during the 20-minute drive back from Kenner. The pork and ham were the stars of this sandwich, and the mustard and melted cheese blended gloriously.
Norma’s Sweets Bakery
Marco Cartolano | Times-Picayune
Norma’s may be best known for its bakery, but its two locations also feature a deli filled with appealing meats, cheeses and breads, as well as groceries.
I stopped by the original Kenner location at 3200 Georgia Ave. and, after ordering, was handed a pretty, wrapped Cubano. I took the sandwich back to the office and unwrapped it to marvel at the bread’s texture and the bits of meat poking out.
The bakery-made bread was what immediately impressed me. It was flaky and crunchy, but it was also rich. The sandwich was filled with seasoned, salty pork and ham, and I was impressed that the sandwich never fell apart.
When I finished Norma’s sandwich, I felt genuinely sad that I was done.
Churros Café
Marco Cartolano | Times-Picayune
It took me a minute to find the strip mall where this Metairie Cuban restaurant sat, but I felt at ease when I walked inside to a restaurant beaming with pride for Cuban culture.
Churros Café at 3100 Kingman St. had one of the most beautiful Cubanos I have seen in Louisiana, cleanly cut in the middle with well-pressed bread.
The bread was soft and the cheese well-melted, even stretching a little as I took bites. The sharp Swiss cheese really made the sandwich, balancing the flavors from the pork, ham and pickles.
Churros refers to their namesake dessert as “the Spanish beignet,” and I had to try their take on it. The churros were some of the most delightfully crispy I’d ever seen. I dolloped sugar on them, and they were a sweet and crunchy delight that complemented a nice café con leche.
Manolito
Marco Cartolano | Times-Picayune
It takes something special to get me to walk through the French Quarter’s busy and loud construction in 90-degree heat, but I’m here to say I would do it again for the Cuban sandwich at Manolito, 508 Dumaine St.
The cozy bar and restaurant overlooking a courtyard may be the closest thing to a Havana watering hole that you can get in New Orleans (I have never actually been to Cuba, but I’ve seen photos).
I was immediately impressed with how well-put-together the sandwich looked when I saw the plate. The fresh-pressed bread teased an enticing stack of pork, mustard, pickles and cheese.
The crispy bread had a good crunch but was still soft enough to eat with little effort. The mojo pork was juicy — but what I enjoyed most was how the pork blended with the cheese and mustard.
For me, this sandwich was absolutely the winner.
I also tried the restaurant’s Cuban take on hummus with Tajin crackers, a savory black bean puree and a strawberry daiquiri that actually tasted like real strawberry.