Tell Versailles in Miami that Cuban food doesn't amount to much. One of the largest restaurant menus ever, all Cuban (though not particularly good). Is it one of the world's great cuisines, up there with Italian, Mexican Indian or Thai? No. But as New World cuisines go, it is near the top along with Brazilian and, of course, American. The Iberian-African mix with a few Italian, German and indigenous influences is pretty solid. (I don't consider Mexican or the Andean foods "New World," because the basic starches, sauces and techniques (albeit not red meats) are essentially pre-Colombian.)
That said, Cuban restaurants, even in Florida, tend to present a rather poor representation of the cuisine. The best Cuban places are sort of like the best Jewish places -- big, bustling spots that serve as public meeting places where robust food is dished from behind the glass or over a formica countertop.
As for Chicago, such places include La Unica, Marianao, Rinconcito Cubano, Cafeteria de Pancho, and, to a lesser extent, Sabor a Cuba (the place on Wislon) and Bolero. I'd add the Logan Sq. places Guantanamera, Bombonera and Cafe con Leche, to the extent any are still there (I'm pretty sure they are). Both of the sit-down places (Sabor and Bolero) have decent-to-good versions of most Cuban standards.
As an aside, I'd point out that Marianao, while old, never existed in the Chicago media, never. Now it's on Metromix. I'm happy to think that the Marianao's, Katy's and Honey1's of the world see some benefit from this Board and its faithful.
Tropi-Cuba, a grocery store at Lyndale and Sacramento, and Cuban Island on Peterson are suspposed to be good as well, though I have not tried either.
Here's a link to a list I composed previously, with updates that probably need updating by now:
Cuban
Anyway, I like Cafe 28 pretty well, and they do a good job of respecting the differences between the two cuisines. It is not a fusion place at all, though the owners are half Cuban half Mexican -- a common enough combo here, though not just about anywhere else. It's a very pleasant place and a bit more upscale than the others.
As for the other places mentioned up thread, I'm not a fan of La Guardia's food because I find it is a bit Trixie-ized (i.e., bland; plus "Cuban nachos" and such), and Mambo's nuevo stuff is at best Cuban-inspired in some instances. LaGuardia is a nice place for a drink and the owners seem to care about their customers. I've never tried the mo
jitos, though.
Zim wrote:
Dude,
you might be right about having to go to New York for Latin food, but based on what you've tried I'm not sure you have all the info yet to make that statement.
have you tried any of the below:
Ambassador Caffe (Cuban)
3605 N. Ashland
Chicago
(773) 404-8770
Blue Parrot Tearoom (Cuban)
31 Forest Ave.
Riverside, Illinois
(708)447-CAFE
Boriken Cafe (PR)
2638 W. Division
Chicago
(773) 276-1780
Borinquen 2 (PR)
3020 N Central
Chicago
(773) 622-8570
Borinquen Lounge(PR)
3811 N Western
Chicago
(773) 442-8001
Borinquen Restaurant (PR)
1720 N. California
Chicago
(773) 227-6038
Brasa Roja (Ecuadoran/Columbian)
3125 W. Montrose
Chicago
(773) 866-2252
Cafe 28 (Cuban)
1800 W. Irving Park
Chicago
(773) 528-2883
Cafe 911 ( PR)
2523 N. Milwaukee
Chicago
(773) 489-9111
Cafe Ay Caramba (Cuban)
2714 N. Milwaukee
Chicago
(773) 772-1662
Cafe Bolero (Cuban)
2252 N. Western
Chicago
(773) 227-9000
http://www.cafebolero.net/
Cafe Central (PR)
1437 W. Chicago
Chicago
(312) 243-6776
http://www.menus.com/menus.com/modular_ ... id=3122074
Cafe Cubano (Cuban)
North & Lathrop
Chicago
(708) 456-6100
Cafe Laguardia (Cuban)
2111 Armitage
Chicago
(773) 862-5996
http://www.cafelaguardia.com/
Cafe Las Delicias (Salvadoran)
4911 N.Western
Chicago
(773) 293-0656
Cafeteria de Pancho (Cuban/PR)
2200 N California
Chicago
(773) 772-7811
http://www.dropby.com/indexLF.html?cont ... /menu.html
Cafeteria Marianao (Cuban)
2246 N. Milwaukee
Chicago
(773) 278-4533
Caracas Grill (Venezuelan)
6340 N. Clark
Chicago
(773) 743-3593
Click On Cafe (Cuban)
3656 W. Fullerton
Chicago
(773) 252-1760
Coco (PR)
2723 W. Division
Chicago
(773) 384-4811
Costumbres Argentinas
1309 N. Ashland
Chicago
(773) 489-6214
http://www.cafelaguardia.com/
Cousin's Grill (PR)
4612-A W. Diversey
Chicago
(773) 205-7619
Cuban Island (Cuban)
3446 W. Peterson
Chicago
(773) 588-9922
Cuchilandia (PR)
4438 W. Wrightwood
3 blocks south of diversey
Chicago
(773) 742-7547
Delicias Crucita (Ecuadoran)
3314 W. Foster
Chicago
(773) 539-4702
Delicias De Gautemala Bakery (Guatemalan)
2901 N Kedzie
Chicago
(773) 539-9312
El Condor (Ecuadorian)
2349 N Milwaukee
Chicago
(773) 252-5112
El Guanaco (salvadoran)
6345 W. Grand
Chicago
(773) 637-2915
El Llano (Colombian)
3941 N. Lincoln
Chicago
(773) 327-1659
El Llano-Rogers Pk
7018 N. Clark St.
Chicago
(773) 338-0531
El Nandu Restaurant (Argentinean)
2731 W. Fullerton
Chicago
(773) 278-0900
El Rinconcito Cubano (Cuban)
3248 W. Fullerton
Chicago
(773) 489-4440
El Tinajon (Guatemalan)
2054 W. Roscoe
Chicago
(773) 525-8455
Flying Chicken Restaurant (Colombian)
3811 N. Lincoln
Chicago
(773) 477-1090
Guatemala (Guatemalan)
1027 W. Wilson
Chicago
(773) 271-2761
Havana Cafe (Cuban)
2739 W. Lawrence
Chicago
(773) 561-4665
Ibis (PR)
2509 W. North
Chicago
(773) 235-7377
Irazu (Costa Rican)
1865 N. Milwaukee
Chicago
(773) 252-5687
Izalco (Salvadoran)
1511 W. Lawrence
Chicago
(773) 769-1225
Joe's Food & Liquors
3626 W Lawrence
Chicago
(773) 478-1078
La Bruquena (PR)
2726 W. Division
Chicago
(773) 276-2915
La Cocina Criolla/Galarza (PR)
2418 W. Fullerton
Chicago
(773) 235-7377
La Esquina del Sabor Truck (PR)
Munoz Marin Drive
Chicago
La Humita (Ecuadoran )
3466 N Pulaski
Chicago
(773) 794-9672
http://www.lahumita.com
La Palma (PR)
1340 N. Homan
Chicago
(773) 862-0886
http://www.chicagoyouthboxing.com/la-palma.html
La Parilla (PR)
2808 W. North
Chicago
(773) 278-0665
La Pena (Ecuadoran)
4212 N. Milwaukee
Chicago
(773) 545-7022
La Sierra (Ecuadoran)
1637 W. Montrose
Chicago
(773) 477-5466
La Unica (cuban)
1515 W Devon
Chicago
(773) 274-7788
Latin American Restaurant and Lounge (PR)
2743 W. Division
Chicago
(773) 235-7290
Latin Sandwich Cafe (Chilean)
4009 N. Elston
Chicago
(773) 478-0175
Latina's Subs/ La Esquinita Boricua (PR)
3500 W Montrose
Chicago
(773) 583-8844
Markelos (Guatemalan)
3520 W Lawrence
Chicago
(773) 539-9344
Marta's Restaurant (PR)
1143 N. California
Chicago
(773) 384-5403
Mekato’s Colombian Bakery (Colombian)
5423 N. Lincoln
Chicago
(773) 784-5181
http://www.mekatos.com
Mi Familia (Peruvian)
3624 W. Fullerton
Chicago
Mitad del Mundo
2922 W. Irving Park
Chicago
(773) 866-9454
Mr. Pollo (Colombian)
3000 W Belmont
Chicago
(773) 509-1208
Papa's Cache Sabroso (PR)
2517 W. Division
Chicago
(773) 862-8313
Perry's Place (PR)
California & North
Chicago
Pico Rico (Ecuadorian)
4107 W. North
Chicago
773-252-Rico (7426)
Pipo's Pizza (Argentinean)
2550 W Addison
Chicago
(773) 305-3333
Pueblito Viejo (Colombian)
5429 N. Lincoln
(3 blocks W of Western)
Chicago
(773) 784-9135
Pupuseria El Guanaco (salvadoran)
916 Glenwood Ave
Waukegan
(847) 599-1285
Rancho Luna (Cuban)
3357 W Peterson
Chicago
(773) 509-9332
http://www.rancho-luna.com/
Restaurante El Salvador (Salvadoran)
4125 S. Archer
Chicago
(773) 579-0405
Rinconcito Hispano 2 (salvadoran)
1669 Oakton
Des Plaines
(847) 803-6180
Rotisserie's Restaurant (Columbian)
3300 W. Fullerton
Chicago
(773) 342-1050
Sabor a Cafe (Colombian)
2435 W. Peterson
(1/2 block west of Western)
Chicago
(773) 878-6327
Sabor a Cuba (Cuban)
1833 W. Wilson
Chicago
(773) 769-6859
Sabor del Caribe (Dominican)
2438 W. Division
Chicago
(773) 227-1939
Sabor Latino (Guatemalan)
3810 W. North
Chicago
(773) 227-5254
San Juan Bakery (PR sandwiches)
3437 W North
Chicago
(773) 395-0099
Tango Sur (Argentine)
3763 N. Southport
Chicago
(773) 477-5466
http://www.tangosur.com/
Taste of Peru
6545 N. Clark
Chicago
(773) 381-4540
http://www.rogerspark.com/saborperu.html
Tropical Taste (Dominican)
3330 W. North
Chicago
(773) 395-0804 , (773) 395-0801
Yambo Nicaraguan Restaurant
3324 N. California
Chicago
(773) 588-5583