Eating good ethnic food: La Segunda Bakery and Cuban Bread

[barnetmill]

I was watching the news and they were in Tampa doing the Cuban Sandwich. I picked the shortest videos on it. Making Cuban bread is quite involved apparently. Even in these times one can still eat well and I need to go find a good cuban sandwich place. I checked the computer and there are some Cuban restaurants town here in NW FL .

Top 10 Best Cuban Food in Pensacola, FL - Last Updated ...
(https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Cuban+Food&find_loc=Pensacola%2C+FL)
Best Cuban Food in Pensacola, FL. Joe's Caribe. 4.5 mi. 62 reviews. $ Food Trucks, Caribbean. Cubi Bar Cafe. 7.3 mi. 36 reviews. $ Cuban, Sandwiches. Calypso Bar and Grill. 23.6 mi. 7 reviews. Caribbean, Bars, Cuban. Carmen's Lunch Bar. 3.7 mi. 141 reviews. $$ Tapas Bars, American (Traditional), Southern. Hemingway's .

I will ask locally what is the best cuban place in town.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5iuaaqDIpU&ab_channel=WFLANewsChannel8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM2PlC_-WNU&ab_channel=FOX13TampaBay

[COG]

I'm originally from Florida and lived there from the mid 50's to the start of the 70's. My dad owned diesel shops in Orlando and Tampa. Some of my fondest memories are our trips to visit the shop in Tampa followed by a ride over to Ybor City and having lunch or dinner at the various Cuban sandwich shops and restaurants. Many times we would have a Cuban sandwich, a bowl of black bean soup and maybe some extra strong Cuban espresso. Back then, one of our favorites was the Columbia restaurant (opened 1905) which I believe is still in business.

Damn... Heading to Orlando in a few weeks, might have to take a little detour!

[Papa]

I was watching the news and they were in Tampa doing the Cuban Sandwich. I picked the shortest videos on it. Making Cuban bread is quite involved apparently. Even in these times one can still eat well and I need to go find a good cuban sandwich place. I checked the computer and there are some Cuban restaurants town here in NW FL .

I will ask locally what is the best cuban place in town.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5iuaaqDIpU&ab_channel=WFLANewsChannel8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM2PlC_-WNU&ab_channel=FOX13TampaBay

Dang it. Already had supper.

Maybe I can throw a loaf in the oven, jump on the bike for an hour.

Nuts.

[barnetmill]

I'm originally from Florida and lived there from the mid 50's to the start of the 70's. My dad owned diesel shops in Orlando and Tampa. Some of my fondest memories are our trips to visit the shop in Tampa followed by a ride over to Ybor City and having lunch or dinner at the various Cuban sandwich shops and restaurants. Many times we would have a Cuban sandwich, a bowl of black bean soup and maybe some extra strong Cuban espresso. Back then, one of our favorites was the Columbia restaurant (opened 1905) which I believe is still in business.

Damn... Heading to Orlando in a few weeks, might have to take a little detour!
Normally Cuban bread is only good for a day they say. If I got it right, they said that it was the 'Columbia restaurant (opened 1905)' that has figured out a way to ship ship the bread.
I just got really turn on by that presentation. I remembered once staying over night in West Bank across from New Orleans and there was a Cuban Chinese restaurant. Basically the Chief was Chinese and so the food was sort of a mix of two cuisines. Prior to Castro there had been a Chinese community in Cuba. What was nicest was that the owner said was a neighborhood place for friendship. It had a nice atmosphere.

[Gabriel Suarez]

There was always a very strong Chinese community in Cuba. I recall my mom and dad having several trusted Chinese employees...vehemently anti-communist, some of the best workers they had. They also frequented a place run by a man called Chin. My dad called him "El Chino" or the chinaman. Nobody got sweaty by being called what they were back in those days.

I think a field trip to Miami may be in the future very soon.

[H60DoorGunner]

Yeah, man. It's hard to beat a good Cuban sandwich.

When you're in Miami, you get one. Just like you get a Fransecinha when you're in O Porto. Some things you just can't pass up!

[coastalcop]

When I was stationed at MacDill my place was in Ybor City (before the gentrification) my back yard ended at the parking lot of a cuban place. Made it easy to get good food.

[IANative]

Don't remember the name of the place, last time I was in Miami a few years ago- a little hole-in-the-wall Cuban joint near MIA- but I do remember the Cuban sandwich, black beans w/ rice and Mojito that I had there.

Not to derail the thread, but Mojitos are another thing I love and associate w/ south Florida. I never drink them "at home," as they're pretty much as far from paleo as you can get, but I must admit to binging on them whenever in south FL or the Caribbean.

[steve_k]

Mmmmmm, love me some good cultural appropriation. Haven't enjoyed any Cuban food for a while, but one of my coworkers is of Columbian and Cuban decent as well as her husband that fled the commies in Cuba. She brews up some Cuban coffee a couple times a week for an afternoon treat. She has also mentioned bring in some Cuban pastries but hasn't found a good local source, something that involves meat from what I remember.

[H60DoorGunner]

Mmmmmm, love me some good cultural appropriation. Haven't enjoyed any Cuban food for a while, but one of my coworkers is of Columbian and Cuban decent as well as her husband that fled the commies in Cuba. She brews up some Cuban coffee a couple times a week for an afternoon treat. She has also mentioned bring in some Cuban pastries but hasn't found a good local source, something that involves meat from what I remember.

Ask her pretty please to make you Ropa Vieja. If she can be bothered, you wont be disappointed. Aside from the Cuban sandwhich, it is a quintessential dish.

[mrstang01]

Love Ropa Vieja!

[steve_k]

Love Ropa Vieja!

Just looked it up.... Damn! Starving now and will be hitting up my co-worker for any insight where to find locally.

[barnetmill]

Ask her pretty please to make you Ropa Vieja. If she can be bothered, you wont be disappointed. Aside from the Cuban sandwhich, it is a quintessential dish.
This is the old clothes dish

https://www.daringgourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Ropa-Vieja-3-edited.jpg