Florida's Cuban Sandwich
December is the start of the winter travel season. I'm sure lots of people are planning vacations to warm weather destinations like Florida and are headed to Miami or at least stopping through Miami International Airport (MIA) on their way into Florida or as a stopover on their way out of the country. Well for once in your travels you can actually get hooked up with an authentic regional meal right there at the airport. La Carreta is a name well known amongst Miami citizens. In what I'm sure started out as a small Cuban cafe serving sandwiches and coffee, they now have various locations including Miami airport. The menu varies at each location but there is a cafeteria style line at the airport with all the Cuban favorites along with sandwiches, salads and coffee. I have never had the chance to visit any locations other than the MIA terminal spot on a few occasions. So I don't know how the restaurant as a whole stacks up against the other authentic Cuban spots around the area. If one wants to try a real authentic Cuban sandwich then you better be in Tampa or Miami to do so.
Edible (very much so) airport food
What I do know is that airport food, for lack of a better word that comes to mind-SUCKS. I also know what a real Cuban sandwich is having lived in Tampa back in 2000. I haven't been able to try anything else from La Carreta because the Cuban sandwich is one of my top three sandwich styles out there and they do a great job at making them. When you throw in the fact it's in an airport, it becomes one of the only food stops at any airport worth seeking out. Maybe even risk being the last to board your flight to get one. I would say this is a skilled Cuban sandwich served at Carreta and highly recommend getting one if your in the airport. It's got the perfect flavor balance from the roasted pork, ham, pickles and melted Swiss cheese and it being in Miami, real Cuban bread. All this pressed down and made hot to meld the flavors into perfect harmony. This is surely one of the best flavor combos in food and one of America's great regional sandwiches. I cant wait to get back to Florida and eat my fair share of authentic Cuban sandwiches. If your flying into or out of Chicago I can also recommend Illinois Bar & Grill's cheeseburger (Midway airport) as a good airport eat.
Florida's Signature Sandwich and a staple in Tampa & Miami: The Cuban
La Carreta
Terminal D- 2nd Level
Miami International Airport
Website
3 comments:
Funny, I just wrote about that too. http://www.denveronaspit.com/2009/12/buchi-and-denver-cuban.html
Is that Cuban place on Western off Addison still there? I'm talking like 10 yrs ago, so probably not...
There was a place at Ashland and Addison, which I don't believe is still open.
90 Miles on Clybourn is pretty good.
I would kill for a real cuban in Philadelphia.. all the "gastropubs" make them but nothing like the real thing.
we have some killer Mexican Cemitas though
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