Think of the Cuban sandwich as a pork-filled, puckery, grilled cheese sandwich.
A traditional Cuban, popular in the southeastern United States, is made with crusty bread grilled on something called a plancha press (a flat-top version of a panini press) or simply grilled.
All Cubans – or at least the good ones – have one thing in common: Two kinds of pork. Thick, chewy ham gives the sandwich an unctuous bite, while roasted, shredded pork adds a luscious layer of texture and flavor. Cheese glues together the sandwich’s porky textures and lends a rich edge.
I’ve seen the Cuban sandwich here with Swiss, gruyere, jack or cheddar, although traditional Cubans are made with Swiss.
And here’s an essential component for a Cuban: Pucker and crunch in the form of pickles and mustard. Without that? It’s just a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.
Depending on the source, the Cuban sandwich was born either as cafeteria cuisine or it was a favorite sandwich of sugar mill workers that dates back to 1930s Cuba or earlier. It’s a sandwich that’s gained popularity in the southern part of the country for many years, but it didn’t seem to really blip onto Tacoma’s sandwich radar until last year.
I’ve seen every configuration of Cuban sandwich, including a porkless one at Asado made with fish (can you even call that a Cuban?) and another at Panera made with chicken. I’ve even found one at the Ram that was in burger form.
Here are seven restaurants that serve their own interpretations. You be the judge of authenticity, but here are the details of whether they’re worthy of your dining dollars.
Doyle’s Public House
Where: 208 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-7468 or www.doylespublichouse.com.
Of all the restaurants sampled for this report, Doyle’s Cubano ($9) sandwich offered what I consider a near-perfect trifecta of porky flavor, rich texture and pickle-powered pucker. The ciabatta-style roll, licked by the grill, offered sturdy softness that held up to the last bite and was just the right ratio of bread to fillings. Medium-sliced ham butted against melted gruyere cheese that was crispy around the edges from a tour on the grill. Chipotle mayo lacked the necessary mustardy flavor, but puckery redemption came in the form of pickle chips layered three deep, adding a piquant snap to the sandwich. The bottom layer of juicy pulled pork added serious moisture and flavor. It might not be traditional because of the added smear of chipotle mayo, but this is one tasty sandwich.
Pacific Grill
Where: 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-627-3535, pacificgrilltacoma.com.
The Juny’s Cuban ($11.95) was built on bread that was panini-grilled until shattery crisp, but puffy soft on the inside. Salty ham was deliciously chewy next to juicy pulled pork with a slight Asian flavor twist. Pucker comes in the form of thinly sliced house-made pickled zucchini with a bright, sweet and sour flavor. Gruyere cheese glued the flavors together with a touch of nuttiness. I wanted more mustardy pucker; the scant smear of French Dijon didn’t hold enough.
Sidebar Bistro
Where: 1101 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, 253-572-7227.
The Sidebar’s Cuban ($9.95) stayed fairly pure to the original Cuban flavors. Crusty bread was grill-pressed, with layers of thin Black Forest ham topped with pork shoulder infused with cumin and garlic. Kosher dill pickle slices and yellow mustard gave just the right amount of a zingy finish. The bread was thin and nicely grilled, but it was too far on the wrong side of crisp. I wore too many crumbs back to the office and worried about scraping the roof of my mouth as I chewed. While this sandwich was tasty, it needed more moisture.
Powerhouse Brewery
Where: 454 E. Main, Puyallup, 253-845-1370 or http://powerhouse brewpub.com.
The Powerhouse Cuban ($10) gets the pucker just right: pickle chips and a smear of Dijon built a splendidly sour foundation; melted jack cheese provided that necessary layer of cheesy goo; and thickly sliced onions crunched crisp and pungent next to fragrantly spiced pork shoulder. But where was the layer of chewy, salty ham? Missing in action. And the sandwich was too bready. A smaller roll would do the sandwich justice.
Panera Bread
Where: 4502 S. Steele St., Tacoma, 253-475-6741 or www.panerabread.com.
Panera’s chicken interpretation ($7.89) of the Cuban lowers the fat of the sandwich, which may leave some Cuban fans (me included) wishing for more fatty flavor. This chain bakery, which opened recently at the Tacoma Mall (other locations in Gig Harbor, Federal Way, Lakewood and Lacey), built its Cuban on crusty house-baked bread, grilled and glued together with melted Swiss, a zippy swipe of chipotle mayo, and an ale-based mustard speckled with sun-dried tomatoes. Sweet and spicy pickle chips upped the flavor considerably, but lean ham tasted too lean. The sliced chicken breast was good, but a poor flavor- and textural-substitute for roasted pork.
The Ram
Where: Various locations in Tacoma, Puyallup, Lakewood and Lacey. Visit www.theram.com for addresses.
The Ram’s Ricardo Burger ($12.99) is the beefy big brother to the standard Cuban sandwich. The burger started with a soft, squishy long roll with a thick, meaty, juicy burger patty topped with melted Swiss. (Note: my burger came with significant pink without my asking; if that makes you squeamish, you may want to specify your preference when you order.) Chewy, salty ham was layered on top of the burger, and a pile of shredded pork topped the ham. Crunchy horseradish dill pickle chips hit my nose before my mouth. Dijon mayo added a layer of creamy decadence.
Asado
Where: 2810 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-7770, asadotacoma.com.
Is a Cuban a Cuban if it’s made with fish? I think that’s a stretch. While the Cuban Fish sandwich (listed on only the lunch menu, $13.75), was tasty, it lacked the decadence of ham and roasted pork. The sandwich here was built on a chewy, sturdy roll stuffed with a tilapia filet wearing a crisp jacket of breading. Roasted yellow pepper aioli added to the luscious texture, as did a healthy portion of Swiss cheese, but this sandwich lacked the porky decadence of a Cuban. It also lacked pucker in the form of mustard, but the house pickles, tinged with rosemary, offered some sour bite.
Sue Kidd: 253-597-8270, sue.kidd@thenewstribune.com
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