This restaurant is a little off the beaten path in Lakeland, but their Cuban food is worth the drive. I love Cuban food and it is not something you can find regularly outside of Florida. So when I visit it is a must have on my list.
To start lunch off, I got two appetizers for the table. The first being fried ripe sweet plantains. These are my absolute favorite dish. I can tell that the plantain was perfect because it will be soft and sweet. When it is hard and bland then the plantain is not ripe enough. The best way to cook these is simply sautéing them in some butter and they are ready to go.
The ham croquettes were also great to share. The ham was chopped up very fine. It was fried to crispy perfection. When I bit in I could taste the smoky flavor of the ham.
I ordered their Lechon Asado – which is the traditional shredded pork. Cuban shredded pork is my second favorite dish (remember the fried plantains are my first). There is something special about how the pork is prepared and seasoned that I cannot replicate at home. The dish also came with a side of black beans and rice and more fried sweet plantains.
The pork was amazing. It was juicy and the salty seasonings could be tasted throughout the meat, not just on the surface. There were also a few crispy edges which added a little crunch.
The black beans and rice they served were delicious and different from others I have had. Instead of serving white rice with a bowl of black beans in a sauce on the side, they actually combined them both and cooked it that way. I liked this style because it allowed the sauce and beans to coat all of the rice.
For authentic Cuban food, please visit West Caribbean Cuban Restaurant. They give you huge portions so plan on having a to go box.
Check out their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/westcaribbeancubanrestaurant/
Enjoy!
T
