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Old 06-30-2010, 11:37 AM
 
17,535 posts, read 39,141,385 times
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MMMMM - sounds sooooo good!
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Old 06-30-2010, 05:16 PM
 
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Vietnamese cuisine sounds a lot like Korean which is very popular here in North NJ. Never tried Vietnamese, I'll have to scout one out
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Old 06-30-2010, 07:00 PM
 
Location: Rogers, AR
481 posts, read 943,522 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFLGal View Post
Sounds good! Maybe you could be the official food critic of City-Data.
If so then can I be next in line fro a request, cause I'd like some recommendations on some good Cuban food in Sarasota? The Columbia is NOT Cuban food. The closest I came was Bacalao Sports Bar and Grill or something which was pretty decent.
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Old 06-30-2010, 08:15 PM
 
17,535 posts, read 39,141,385 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by culturedmom View Post
If so then can I be next in line fro a request, cause I'd like some recommendations on some good Cuban food in Sarasota? The Columbia is NOT Cuban food. The closest I came was Bacalao Sports Bar and Grill or something which was pretty decent.
The Columbia is a Spanish restaurant, I don't know why people think it's Cuban. My dad worked at the original one in Tampa for 25 years - it's called "The Columbia - Gem of Spanish Restaurants."

Anyway, there isn't any good Cuban OR Spanish food in Sarasota that I have found yet. There is a relatively new place (a few months old) that is supposed to be Cuban - took over the old Don Pablos' on Fruitville and Cattleman, I think it's called La Tropicana de Havana. Haven't been, so I have no idea if it's any good or not.

The Bacalao is now called El Molino's Latin Flavors - haven't been to that one either. So many restaurants to try - so little time!
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Old 06-30-2010, 09:01 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, FL
1,642 posts, read 3,344,825 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by culturedmom View Post
If so then can I be next in line fro a request, cause I'd like some recommendations on some good Cuban food in Sarasota? The Columbia is NOT Cuban food. The closest I came was Bacalao Sports Bar and Grill or something which was pretty decent.
I recall some decent Cuban in Tampa in particular.

Have not seen any at all here.
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Old 06-30-2010, 09:38 PM
 
Location: Sarasota, Fl
53 posts, read 124,252 times
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I personally like Uncle Wen's on 12 st. and Tuttle! They are clean too!
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Old 07-01-2010, 07:33 AM
 
Location: Rogers, AR
481 posts, read 943,522 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsychic View Post
The Columbia is a Spanish restaurant, I don't know why people think it's Cuban. My dad worked at the original one in Tampa for 25 years - it's called "The Columbia - Gem of Spanish Restaurants."

Anyway, there isn't any good Cuban OR Spanish food in Sarasota that I have found yet. There is a relatively new place (a few months old) that is supposed to be Cuban - took over the old Don Pablos' on Fruitville and Cattleman, I think it's called La Tropicana de Havana. Haven't been, so I have no idea if it's any good or not.

The Bacalao is now called El Molino's Latin Flavors - haven't been to that one either. So many restaurants to try - so little time!
We were told by someone it had Cuban food, and on their menu they do have some traditional Cuban dishes. But you are absolutely right, it is Spanish and I was a little peeved that my lechon asado was pork tenderloin, lol.

After you mentioned it, we have been to La Tropicana and it was just OK. I wouldn't go back, but they had just opened so maybe they worked out the kinks. Oh well, I guess I am going to have to keep on cooking up my own.

BTW, if anyone is interested, I found that Sweetbays has the closest thing to Cuban bread. However, if you ask the bakery you can buy the dough frozena nd bake it at home and it comes out much better if you do it right. Also, Goya now makes pastelitos in the frozen food section. If you add sugar to the top beofre baking, it is pretty good. Not the real thing, but if your jonesing for them like me, they will do the trick until you can get to Miami
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Old 07-01-2010, 07:40 AM
 
Location: Punta Gorda and Maryland
6,103 posts, read 15,088,066 times
Reputation: 1257
Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsychic View Post
The Columbia is a Spanish restaurant, I don't know why people think it's Cuban. My dad worked at the original one in Tampa for 25 years - it's called "The Columbia - Gem of Spanish Restaurants."

Anyway, there isn't any good Cuban OR Spanish food in Sarasota that I have found yet. There is a relatively new place (a few months old) that is supposed to be Cuban - took over the old Don Pablos' on Fruitville and Cattleman, I think it's called La Tropicana de Havana. Haven't been, so I have no idea if it's any good or not.

The Bacalao is now called El Molino's Latin Flavors - haven't been to that one either. So many restaurants to try - so little time!
It is an awesome Spanish restaurant. I guess the name "Columbia" may be confusing for some reason.

There is a fantastic Cuban restaurant in the Wyvern Hotel in Punta Gorda. It is called LuLu's and you can find it on the net if you want to check out it's menu. The food is perfectly prepared with the right blend of spices - not super hot, just unique.
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Old 07-01-2010, 07:52 AM
 
17,535 posts, read 39,141,385 times
Reputation: 24289
Quote:
Originally Posted by culturedmom View Post
We were told by someone it had Cuban food, and on their menu they do have some traditional Cuban dishes. But you are absolutely right, it is Spanish and I was a little peeved that my lechon asado was pork tenderloin, lol.

After you mentioned it, we have been to La Tropicana and it was just OK. I wouldn't go back, but they had just opened so maybe they worked out the kinks. Oh well, I guess I am going to have to keep on cooking up my own.

BTW, if anyone is interested, I found that Sweetbays has the closest thing to Cuban bread. However, if you ask the bakery you can buy the dough frozena nd bake it at home and it comes out much better if you do it right. Also, Goya now makes pastelitos in the frozen food section. If you add sugar to the top beofre baking, it is pretty good. Not the real thing, but if your jonesing for them like me, they will do the trick until you can get to Miami
Culturedmom - I have found delicious Cuban bread at my Publix in Bayshore Gardens (Bradenton). They have a couple different kinds, but there is one that is EXACTLY like I used to get in Tampa as a kid from Joe Faedo's bakery. Some Publix don't seem to have this authentic style. It is the wide, flat type, crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside - yummy!

By the way, both Tampa and Miami have different versions of what is considered "real Cuban" food. Both are "authentic" in that each region has adapted it's own cuisine. I grew up with Tampa style "Cuban", and today Tampa has a blended Latin cuisine of many flavors, Spanish, Italian, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Carribbean, etc. Great Latin foods in Tampa, in Sarasota, not so much, I don't know why. There are a few hole-in-the wall places I am going to try - these are not in the best parts of town, but I hear the most authentic. Here is a link to a review of one of those places in Bradenton:

Cafe Havana - Bradenton, FL

I'm going to give it a try next week.
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Old 07-01-2010, 08:14 AM
 
Location: Rogers, AR
481 posts, read 943,522 times
Reputation: 392
Thank you for the great info. I grew up in Hialeah and my family and my husband are Cuban so that is what I am used to. I've never been to Ybor City but I have heard good things about it though I have heard as you said that it has become more of a mix of Latin cuisine. I will definitely have to go to your Publix when I'm in the area because nothing is better then good Cuban bread. And please let me know about the restaurant. I'd drive to Bradenton for a good Palomilla steak!
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