Michcella T.
Yelp
Cortaditos has only been open for a few weeks, but it has already left a positive impression on me. Sure, there are several places in the area to get the same cafe and sandwhiches, but Cortaditos' branding and atmosphere are downright masterful. In addition, this is literally down the street from my house - a huge plus!
Cortaditos takes its inspiration from Miami, so the vibe is very colorful, chill, and tropical. As we creep into the cold, chilly Jersey winters, this place will for sure be a welcoming beacon.
I've ordered from here a few times. Ordering ahead is no doubt your best bet - the lines tend to get long here, and even when the lines are short, the service can be slow. Don't get me wrong, everyone is very polite and friendly, but there are a still a lot of kinks with the service. For example, once they gave me two sandwhiches instead of one - which is great! but an obvious loss on their end. Another time, they weren't sure if I paid online (which I did), and a time after that, they couldn't find my order under my name, so they had to verify it with an order number. These are all small issues that I'm sure will work out in time, and will not defer me from ordering again.
I've tried two of the sandwiches here - the medianoche, and the pan con bistec. I went for the medianoche over the traditional Cuban because they put salami on their Cuban - a distinctive trait of a Miami-style Cuban sandwhich. The medianoche, which is typically served on a softer, darker, sweeter bread (similar to King's Hawaiian) is described more like the Cuban sandwhich I'm familiar with. No lie - it was hands down the best Cuban sandwhich I've ever eaten. The roast park was positively fresh and juicy, and that's honestly the best part of the Cuban. When they accidentally gave me an extra one, I gave it to my father and he immediately called me and said it was the best he's ever eaten too. A huge plus!
Now, the pan con bistec...that was a letdown. I understand pan con bistec is just the small bits of meat on a sandwich, but the steak here (while tasty) was totally fatty and grizzly. I had to pick away at the meat in order to find something edible. There was also too much lettuce and tomato, so much so that the sandwhich was huge and fell aparent when I ate it. Personally, I think they would be better off being more particular about the meat on the sandwhich, and switching to a Cuban roll as opposed to a kaiser roll.
And the coffee! Oh, the coffee...so rich, dark, fresh, and distinctive of Cuban Cafe'. Do yourself a favor and get the coffee here. There are no words needed. It's amazing.
Overall, I am so grateful this place opened up down the block from my house. It adds a fresh twist to the neighborhood, too. I will be ordering from here, probably more often then I should!