The pandemic that we have all been facing has affected every single person in one way or another. One area hit hardest has been restaurants. I have been trying to do my part by getting take out from local establishments. La Imperial Bakery is one of those local places.
This Puerto Rican restaurant was having a “Hard Times” menu with specials that I thought I would check out.
One of the items on the menu was a chicken and rice soup. The chicken broth had a great salty taste. It was filled with fresh carrots and onions, plus a ton of fresh chicken breast meat that was shredded. They served a slice of toast on the side. This was no ordinary toast. They pressed a slice of Cuban bread extremely thin until it got extra crispy and savory from the butter they added.
I also got the half Cuban special. This was a half Cuban sandwich served with a side of rice and beans. The Cuban sandwich was on the delicious, fresh Cuban bread. It was the perfect proportion of ham, pulled pork, and cheese. The rice and beans were full of flavor and the perfect accent to the sandwich.
They were also running a BOGO special on their homemade pastries. They had several to choose from.
The Guava and Cheese Pie was crispy and sweet. The filling of cream cheese and guava paste was very sweet together. The two different textures did go well together. The pastry shell was light and flakey. It reminded me of a turnover. I ended up warming it slightly in the microwave. This made the cheese a little softer and easier to eat than being cold.
The other dessert was the Cream Filled Horn. This was light and fluffy whipped cream stuffed in a crispy pastry shell. They sprinkled powdered sugar on top for added sweetness. I really liked the flavor of the cream. It was messy to eat, but totally worth it.
I am glad that I could help a local restaurant during these difficult times. I am looking forward to when everything gets back to normal and I can go to enjoy one of their many other dishes that they normally have on their menu,
Check out their website at www.imperiallakeland.com
Enjoy!
T
