REAL Cuban bread (Miami, Tampa, St. Augustine: house, neighborhood, live)

[Sunscape]

The one that I mentioned in Columbus is the one near La Teresita.
Other than that one, Publix in Oldsmar has the real cuban bread with lard, and has another cuban bread without lard.
Cuban bread is very similar to Puerto Rican bread,IMHO.
If you find one that is better, let us know. I, for one, love bread!!

[TB Fla]

Originally Posted by AlaskaKash

Are there lots of restaurants around Tampa that serve Cuban Cuisine? I have never had it and love to try new foods.

There are a lot of Cuban resturants throughout Tampa. Most are run by 4th and 5th generation cubans who's ancestors were cigar makers in Ybor city. Tampa has a unique style of cuban cuisine. Due to Cuban and Italian immigrants living in close proximity to one another in the neighborhoods of Ybor City and West Tampa in the late 1800s and early 1900s, you can find a lot of Italian influences in Tampa's cuban foods. Tampa's Cuban sandwich, for example, can be found with Salami, something you will probably not find anywhere else.

[saltzman143]

my Miami pals say the only decent place in Tampa for bread or food is Florida Bakery.

my friend said real cuban bread looks like this:

http://moncheopr.typepad.com/.a/6a00...41fc970b-500wi


not like this:

http://graduatemeghann.files.wordpre...7/dscn3020.jpg

[TB Fla]

Originally Posted by saltzman143

my Miami pals say the only decent place in Tampa for bread or food is Florida Bakery.

my friend said real cuban bread looks like this:

http://moncheopr.typepad.com/.a/6a00...41fc970b-500wi


not like this:

http://graduatemeghann.files.wordpre...7/dscn3020.jpg

Your Miami pals must not spend a lot of time in Tampa. I almost never see Cuban bread look like the second pic around here unless its some kind of chain resturant. When I order a cuban in Tampa, the first pic is what I usually get.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by TB Fla

Your Miami pals must not spend a lot of time in Tampa. I almost never see Cuban bread look like the second pic around here unless its some kind of chain resturant. When I order a cuban in Tampa, the first pic is what I usually get.

For sure ^^ - when I lived in Tampa, I got nice Cuban bread like the first pic at a lot of places. When I was growing up, I lived in old West Tampa, and we would wait at the bakeries to get it fresh and hot. I won't eat that stuff that looks like a skinny loaf.

I'm sure that like a lot of things, times have changed and maybe the quality of Cuban bread in Tampa has gone down some or is harder to find, but there must be places that still serve what I believe to be "real" Cuban bread.

Hey, I just did a search on Google and came up with this interesting blog about Tampa Cuban bread, which includes recipes for making your own!

http://www.oo.com/kitchen-warfares-cuban-bread-tampa-style/ (broken link)

[Sunscape]

[TB Fla]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

For sure ^^ - when I lived in Tampa, I got nice Cuban bread like the first pic at a lot of places. When I was growing up, I lived in old West Tampa, and we would wait at the bakeries to get it fresh and hot. I won't eat that stuff that looks like a skinny loaf.

I'm sure that like a lot of things, times have changed and maybe the quality of Cuban bread in Tampa has gone down some or is harder to find, but there must be places that still serve what I believe to be "real" Cuban bread.

Hey, I just did a search on Google and came up with this interesting blog about Tampa Cuban bread, which includes recipes for making your own!

Kitchen Warfare’s Cuban Bread (Tampa Style) | Kitchen Warfare (http://www.oo.com/kitchen-warfares-cuban-bread-tampa-style/ - broken link)

Interesting article. Did you read the comments The Tampa and Miami's Cuban food rivalry . Both sides claim the other is not "real" cuban food, but that is not the case. Its is like what Kathleen1971 said, a regional thing. Both are US versions from immigrants. They are both different, but both are very much real.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by TB Fla

Interesting article. Did you read the comments The Tampa and Miami's Cuban food rivalry . Both sides claim the other is not "real" cuban food, but that is not the case. Its is like what Kathleen1971 said, a regional thing. Both are US versions from immigrants. They are both different, but both are very much real.

Yes, I agree, both are different, but they are still "authentic." As another poster mentioned, in Tampa the cuisine is influenced by the melting pot of ethnic groups here. So for me, what I experienced growing up is "authentic." I remember my uncle bringing back some Cuban bread from Miami and how different I thought it tasted (but still just as good!) I haven't found a place yet here in Sarasota that has any, we have so many ethnic restaurants and bakeries, but sadly a lack of Cuban style.

[Kathleen1971]

Yeah, I never get into the whole authentic arguement because both Miami and Tampa have authentic Cuban food. I just happen to prefer Miami's version because that is what I spent 25 years eating. The last 13 years have been Tampa's version and it just doesn't do it for me. If I grew up in Tampa and moved to Miami I would probably prefer Tampa over Miami.

Although I will make one gripe. Twice I have tried to order a Media Noche at two "authentic" and popular Cuban restraunts and both time the sandwich was prepared on Cuban bread. I asked if maybe they ran out of the egg bread and both places said that is how they have always served them. Big disappointment.

And speaking of Cuban food, why the heck is it we do not have the chain restraunt La Carretta? I miss their mariquitas con mojo so very much. Latin Cafe in Brandon serves them but the service there is so lousy I quit going. I swear everytime I went there some of the most miserable people in the world were working there and I felt like I was making their life a living hell just by opening the doors.

[tilli]

Although I will make one gripe. Twice I have tried to order a Media Noche at two "authentic" and popular Cuban restraunts and both time the sandwich was prepared on Cuban bread. I asked if maybe they ran out of the egg bread and both places said that is how they have always served them. Big disappointment.

They make media noches on the egg bread at La Ideal.