Alyssa C.
Yelp
I am sure, if you know me at all, whether in person - or from my reviews on Yelp --- you know that there are several things that I have an emotional connection to, food-wise, that I would consider myself an aficionado on. Wine. Whiskey (working on varieties). Tacos. Cuban Sandwiches. I know, I know... very diverse!
My husband and I decided to embark on a quest after reading a few articles about good Cuban sandwiches in the city and thus a list was presented to us that I believe was in the Riverfront Times two years ago. Every other weekend, sans kids, we were checking another place off of our list.
At this point, I'd had an innumerable amount of cuban sandwiches over the course of my life, given it is one of my favorite meals. I have tried variations by restaurants where they did their own thing and gave it a name after their own restaurant because they doctored it up a bit. Ok, that's cool - but I want the real thing. The real Cuban sandwiches that migrant workers used to eat and make, on Cuban bread - with zesty mustard and thick sliced pickles. Bring it!
The next stop on our list was Pickle's Deli. The night before we had actually had a "signature" (a restaurant's variation of a Cuban sandwich, not the real deal) Cuban Sandwich and we weren't terribly pleased to say the least... it was just... "ok". To cleanse the palette and renew my desire to continue the "tour de Cubanos" we went here.
The pickles were crisp, the bread was warm and fresh and was the closest to Cuban bread (though a different shape) that I have had thus far. the meat was piled high and layered appropriately, the mustard quite tangy and the pickles crisp. I was so pleased with the Cuban sandwich here that I have started to weight all of the other Cuban Sandwiches against this one. When I said innumerable, I meant it. I truly cannot count how many Cuban sandwiches I have tried, nor how many establishments. There is one that always stands out in your mind, however -- and this sandwich is that for me. (The following weekend after this we tried the "signature" Cuban Sandwich at Dalies Smokehouse - review forthcoming.)
My husband got the Reuben and he said it is definitely one of his favorite Reuben sandwiches, (he later found another closer to home that he loves at Fozzie's Sandwich Emporium).
I am very pleased with the Cuban sandwich here and I hope to return to try some of their other options once I have completed my quest. Who knows? Maybe this will end up being the best Cuban Sandwich in St. Louis, according to me, after the Tour de Cuban Sandwiches mission is complete.